The Hero's Apprentice By Hong Kong John
by Hong Kong John
Summary: Walter Redd is transported to Endo. A land of wizards and magic. Follow Walter as he goes forward and backwards in time to be the origin of magic, the true love of Princess Drey, and archrival to a rogue wizard named Rye. Timetravel/fantasy/romance.


The Heros' Apprentice (Genre: Sci-fi/Fantasy/Romance)

Target audience: Young Adult

Length: 145 pages 85,164 Words

By John Bradford (Copyright August 10th 2010)

Contact Info: 1044 Quail Summit Drive Provo UT USA 84604

(801-434-4084)

Synopsis: Walter Redd is summoned to Ando, a realm of wizards and magic. His arrival however is not unexpected, and Walters arrival is both his past and his future. The tale goes between our world and Endo, and past, present, and future to show how twisted and unbelievable the forces, of love, magic, and time travel really are.

(Book 1 of 8 book series)

Ch. 1 Summoning Spell

Walter sat backwards in his uncomfortable chair. Staring at the clock ticking away in the corner of the room. Like other days, he sat for a time thinking about why he was still in his study and not out doing the things he'd always wanted to do. He was getting on in years now, and it seemed that it would still be many years before he would finally get a chance to see a world full of adventure. But here he was, filling his journal with yet another empty entry of what the weather had been, what trivial events he had completed, and what day, month, and year it was. Each line a simple bullet point. No reflections, private thoughts, or a single enthusiastic remark dotted any of the countless pages of historic text that might as well been thrown in the trash cause no child in their right mind would ever find it interesting. But that was Walters' life up to that point. A giant textbook sized volume of meaningless data. No epiphanies, no insights, and not even a quick and brief happening like falling down the stairs or buying a coke at the convenience store.

It wasn't that Walter hadn't tried to lead an interesting life. It was simply that nothing had happened to him, and he had in spite of genuine efforts not gotten anything to happen. Walter had finished school, found a job, and tried to date like everybody else was doing. Only Walter couldn't learn the things he wanted at school. The job he wanted was not an option, and dating was in his opinion an out dated form of courtship like arranged marriage that was overdue for a replacement fad. Walter knew this story. The one where nothing happens, nothing is recorded, and so it is as if there never was anything to begin with. But Walter had made the best of it. He had broken no laws, no hearts, and no bones. Walter wondered why projects failed, why chances were denied, and why no one in his small but known universe cared to see if he was worth anything more than giving the time of day, or retrieving some object fifty feet away that the voice was too lazy to get themselves. Walter believed he wasn't alone in his belief that somewhere there was a world that had finally gotten sick of boredom, sick of some ridiculous status quo where everyone ate the same meal each day, and did the same tasks a hundred times in a row before the sun finally went down changing the scenery only long enough for the reset button to be pushed. Walter had spent time looking, searching for this world in books, religions, even fiction, because he knew that the same lessons were contained in a story whether it was titled non-fiction or not. These authors, inventors, explorers, they had found the answer, found some means to escape the awful fate that was now his. Only he had not found it in the prime of youth, he was older now, old enough to teach classes, raise kids, and yet he wasn't even getting to do that.

Walter had prayed earnestly that this stage would pass, and it had not. He had tried moving countless times, tried different hobbies, and yet the emptiness was still there everyday, and even worse at night when the colors of nature and the sounds of life lessoned. So Walter found himself utterly defeated that evening at his desk. Wondering how he had lost to nothing? Why all the learning in the world, and all the acquired skill of a competent athlete and scholar was still no match for the most simple of circumstances. Loneliness, emptiness, and bored to the point that even death seemed a welcome experience, cause at least there was a chance that it would be spectacular beyond all belief. It was too bad not many people felt that way in the stories though. The clock continued it's now infernal chant and Walter decided there that he would write a simple warning and that would be the end of that particular journal. He would acquire a blank one the next day and hopefully at least the buying of a new journal would start him in some direction better than the one he had been looping around time and again in a perpetual circle. Walter wrote a page. He wrote flawlessly about how awful life was without fun, without love, without tests to see if life truly was worth living. When he finished he tore it out of the journal and placed it on his desk. He would use it as the bookmark to the new journal he would buy tomorrow morning after a morning run and a healthy breakfast. Walter had a routine, but tomorrow he would have an additional task at hand, and he would continue to add tasks until he got out of this spell of a situation.

Luckily that's not what happened. For Walter had scarcely risen from his desk to turn in when he vanished without a trace. When the landlord forcibly opened the apartment three days later to complain that the electricity had been on too long, he was confused beyond measure. Walter never left the lights on. Walter was nowhere to be seen. The police investigators eyed the journal entry and puzzled over the date that had scarcely been written. Walter had not missed a day of journal writing, and so it was that Walter Redd was finally seen on the news, posters, and the milk cartons of every child in the state, for about a month. The police presumed it was suicide, citing the journal entry as his final confession. But no body turned up, and for a while, the neighborhood imagined many theories about Walters demise. Aliens, ghosts, you name it. It was one of the reasons that almost nobody wanted to rent Walters apartment. And for ten days, the single solitary journal entry lie still on Walters desk, the only evidence that he had ever existed recently in the world at all.

Ch. 2 Magical Conflicts

Rye didn't care much for the ways of the mystic, partially because it got him into situations such as this. But he had a gift his teachers would say. The ways of the universe simply revealed their secrets to him. Rye knew any fool could learn them, it was all a simple test of patience and diligence. Rye fancied a more simple lifestyle where he could be an entertained bystander rather than the center of attention. But here he was in a wizards duel with yet another bully from the academy of the town of Ando who just wouldn't be satisfied until he had at the very least singed Rye's garb or landed a single spell that could get him to stumble or trip. Rye was disappointed as usual. The so-called warlock was known as Karn. And it was no town secret that he was just using a bunch of spells from a text that could be mimicked for sure, but they would fall apart the moment Rye reconstructed them and bended the rules a little. Rye puzzled as to how he was able to do this, and why in all the precious three years of study nobody had opted to learn with him. Rye knew he was the best, but he couldn't say that because arrogance was a large obstacle to the higher learning and spells that were yet to be told him by the earth, sky, and ocean. Maybe someday even the sun, moon, and stars would yield answers to questions he simply had to ask. But today like so many others, Rye was just a plaything for other people to get enjoyment out of. Rye felt like taking a dive just to see if the ruckus would give Karn some counterfeit confidence or at least take the attention of the town off of him long enough for him to go fishing or just sneak into the castle to catch a glimpse of the princess.

That was it. Rye did this because it did get him an invitation to the palace ever so often. Once in awhile his services were requested. A simple protection spell around the palace, or some enchantment on the guards' weapons. Nothing so powerful that it would spiral out of control, and always, he eyed Princess Drey. Never knowing if she was in on the secret. But it was fine that way. Rye was a local wizard, not the castle wizard. That privilege was always left to the academy headmaster. For he was the eldest, and had stuck around long enough to be trusted by the community. There was no way they were going to put a young man like Rye that close to the princess. Still, Rye gave in to the requests that took him away from the town. There were monsters to subdue, curses to weaken, and above all the trip home to collect his reward. The money was good, but Rye had no need for furnishings or decorations. He had those all around him. The rivers, the mountain, the trees, each was a delight if only someone sat down long enough to notice. But Drey, there was nothing more beautiful in his mind. And he'd give up learning magic if it meant he could talk to her the way the universe talked to him.

It was his fantasies of the princess that suddenly got dashed as Rye was pulled back into the match when Karn tried a displacement charm. It had restored his concentration and luckily had just missed his head. His wizard hat would've blown off, but Rye clamped his head instinctively and decided for once he would have a little fun. He would use a large spell. The kind that required meditation and lots of the stored up magic he collected each day by performing good deeds and listening to where it was being given willingly by the elements. Of course he would have to return all the favors nature was granting him. But he knew full well that a weeks extra meditation wouldn't change the enjoyment he would get out of taking Karns' displacement charm and landing him at the top of a mountain, or worse, in some other kingdom until Rye discontinued the spell, or it wore off due to his death or lack of concentration cause he was bored. Rye raised his staff with both hands. Naturally Karn was terrified. Simple spells utilized the fingers, but Rye was using two arms and was closing his eyes. Utilizing the massive amount of magic in the mind. Whatever this spell was it was going to either hurt or cause a lot of problems for Karn. Karn belched out a surrender, and Rye opened his eyes. Both for surprise that Karn had actually done something smart for once, and the fact that the spell had already been spoken and couldn't be called back. Rye was concerned the spell would displace a persons' hut, or worse relocate some of the crowd to who knows where. But Rye had been trained for this. He would modify the spell so that it did as little damage as possible. He quickly adjusted the displacement spell by adding a summoning to it. It would displace something, but rather than send it away, it would bring it right in front of him. Chances were it would be something simple like a rock, tree, or maybe even a dragon. But Rye anticipated best and worse case scenarios and was confident that whatever he summoned would be just as easy to send back. It would be two weeks of meditation, but he had had enough duels anyway. And there was a good chance he wouldn't be summoned to the palace any time soon.

Sadly none of that happened, because Rye's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open when he saw what he had summoned. A man, not quite old but a good decade or so older than Rye in some strange foreign attire was there between him and Karn. The man eyed his surroundings then looked at Rye and then Karn. Rye was about to say something when the strain of using so much magic caught up with his body and he collapsed to his knees. For Karn this would've been a fine moment, but he had surrendered a second before, so Rye was still the winner and the crowd was rather puzzled by the victory. Rye had won. The rules dictated that. But why in the world would he summon an old guy as a spell in a duel? It took Rye a moment to get back up, but then he momentarily shuddered. He sized up this man whom he had displaced and summoned from an unknown where and when. He seemed healthy enough, not a beggar, but the clothes were very strange. Pockets dotted his brown pants. Rye was excited to some degree. Those pockets at his leg, rear, and sides could allow him to carry all sort of useful things. Maybe he'd barter with the man for them. Or simply get someone to copy them. The bracelet was another thing that bothered Rye. It teemed with power. Rye could sense it. He just couldn't place it. But upon closer observation he noticed four runes upon it. And then Rye got really excited. He noticed two smaller runes that were switching, changing. What sort of bracelet could have spells rewriting themselves? It took Rye an even longer time to realize why he had fallen. This man whoever he was must be quite the conjurer in his land. No wonder the spell had latched onto him. The runes on his arm, and possibly more at his home wherever that was must've attracted the summoning. Rye hadn't quite finished the spell so the magic had simply decided to manifest the summoning this way. Not quite complete, but enough that it understood it was to summon something akin to Rye. Rye had not specified an element or action. So only the words of the spell mattered. And naturally the words had sought out other words to bring here so that the summoning would be complete. Rye hadn't been thinking all clearly, but he had had the thoughts of fighting something more competent. Something that would ease the repetition, something powerful that could challenge him to use new spells, or at least pressure him to learn and practice a little harder. And now not quivering Rye realized that the spell had done just that.

Whoever this man was, he was teeming with magic. Lots of it, so much Rye contemplated where it ended, and what the extent of his power was. He could very well summon a mountain, maybe even move the moon if he wanted to. Rye would have ample time to find out. And yet the man simply stared at Rye. Eyeing the staff, clothes, and his eyes. He knew there was a smile behind the curious eyes cause this man was getting the enjoyment Rye got out of staring at stars, or maybe even Princess Drey. For those brief moments, Rye realized that before him was probably a being of immense power, and for the first time since he had met the princess. Rye thought that something amazing or at least temporarily interesting was about to happen. A volcanic eruption, more like two of them because Rye wasn't able to contain himself anymore. Rye was about to contemplate how he would exploit this sage when he broke the silence.

Hi! Name's Walter Redd.

Rye jumped at the strange words, out of instinct because for all he knew it was some incantation that would enslave him for all eternity. He was about to do a binding when he realized that no energy had entered the air. This man had not used a speck of magic. What was the meaning of it? How could a man with so much potential power keep it completely suppressed? Rye could read his own flow leaking out to some small degree. But this guy hadn't expelled anything traceable. Rye was starting to get scared, what if this wizard or mage subdued the realm? There was no doubt in Rye's mind that he could've done it already if he willed it. Rye had exhausted himself and would be no match for this warlock if he chose to fight. Rye knew he had to do something. The man waited for Rye to respond then extended a hand to Rye. A greeting perhaps? In Ando people bowed and made eye contact. Why the addition of touch? Oh well! Might as well get some knowledge from this strange and new source. Rye extended his arm likewise, and felt a strong firm grip followed by a release. Rye would've stabbed him but the man had no weapon so Rye controlled himself. And once again, no magic left him and none entered Rye.

Rye tried some local dialects, but the man shook his head and motioned that he didn't understand what he heard. Well of course not. This guy was from somewhere else, the odds of two languages being exactly the same was more ridiculous than the idea of being able to travel between worlds. People did it when they dreamed. Built ships to cross oceans into the unknown. Even birds and insects had somehow acquired the means to travel great distances. This was well established knowledge. And now Rye realized that he and this mysterious figure had something in common, they needed more knowledge of each other if they were ever to learn or help each other. Or rather if Rye was ever to send him back where he came from. The spell had been unclear, and so the only reference point would be the runes on the mans' wrist. He would have to decipher them, if he was to ever land the stranger back in his own world and plane of existence. The other option would be to try and kill him and see what the effect was, but Rye preferred not to find out what would happen if he killed something with such an aura. There was no telling where the magic would go once the man died.

Questions needed answering, that was what Rye needed. And apparently some of the villagers had thought so to. Cause while Rye had been trying to converse with him, the villagers had raised the uproar about a foreigner in the village. It had been a few months since their last harvest festival, and several years since they had needed to go to war, so the appearance of a stranger from an unknown land using an unknown tongue, was now the most exciting thing besides Rye's duels that were always one-sided anyway. Rye would've strayed from the scene had he not been weighed down with the guilt of what he had done. This man had a home, and might've been in some important business affair before Rye kidnapped him. Well not kidnapped, it was unintentional. But he had still taken someone against their will. Unless the man were about to be executed or die from some horrible beast or predicament. In that case Rye would've been the mans' savior. But there was no way to know until the man talked. Rye stayed close to the traveler, though it hadn't really been a long journey since the spell was instantaneous. Soon the castle guards had them surrounded, Rye informed them what he had done, and that the man could not understand the language of Ando. But the guards were not amused. Their concern was to take them to the castle, satisfy the king and people who were always more curious than they were about such things. The guards only cared about their next meal, and the oft chance they would get to chase off a gang of bandits or some unholy monster that entered the realm. This enigma of a man didn't seem dangerous, nor had he provoked anyone. He was just someone in the wrong place at the wrong time. And the king and queen would settle the matter quickly. If he was a spy, it would become obvious, and if he were some ghoul in disguise, the castle wizard would divine or subdue him quickly. Rye got to come along, and for once Rye wasn't concerned about getting a look at the princess. He was more concerned about what the castle wizard and king would decree in regards to the visitor.

Walter was under the impression that this was one of those dreams where you know you're dreaming. He was thinking about it being the first thing he would write in his new journal. However after the thought of the journal crossed his mind, shouldn't his subconscious realize it was time to wake up? Walter was still dreaming he thought, and maybe it would end any second. But you never knew with the control dreams. This fantasy might last as long as Walter could feed it suggestions. The handshake seemed to have worked, and now he was being taken to a castle. The style and structure amused Walter. He had read of the castles that armies stormed, burned, and flung rocks at. This castle proved his imagination needed a little work. Walter was sure the fantasy was going to end any minute now and he would be back in his room. He was almost tempted to pinch himself just to make sure this was a dream. The visual and audio parts of the brain were active in dreams. It was the olfactory and feeling sensations that were semi-active, otherwise unconsciousness would never be achieved. Things had to be tuned out for sleep to occur. And Walter soon realized this dream was feeling more real. His socks were aching as he walked to the castle. He was sweating. He had never sweated in a dream before. This was just pent up desires, manifesting themselves with an enormous downpour all of the sudden. That was the last thing Walter was telling himself as he followed the unit of soldiers, and the wizard who fit his vision of one to the letter. Walter was begging in his mind to see a spell performed. When the wizard collapsed Walter suspected he had missed the battle. Nearing the castle, Walter expected some out of place fantasy to ruin the dream and wake him at long last. He'd be in his underwear, his teeth falling out, or maybe something close but still out of place like Elliot from Pete's Dragon. But instead, the tie-breaker vote was before him.

Walter could not stand the sight before him. Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, none of them could've invented this. Walter blinked several times and then realized this was no dream. Or if it was it was not a tad less real than his room he had been in just minutes ago. There was the princess, indescribably beautiful seated upon the throne. The king and queen were not present, but that wasn't really important now. Walter could not bear the feeling that he had no camera or pencil and paper. No angelic vision, or sci-fi fantasy would ever top what he was beholding. The wizard had excited Walter as it should have. But that was before this creature appeared. Walter didn't want to take his eyes off her ever, but instinctively he looked to his surroundings and then noticed the wizard was looking at her too. Walter had been rejected by girls countless times and it had just made him more determined to try harder and better the next time. Only this time Walter could see that the wizard had the same look as him. He had no mirror to prove it, but he could see the contours of the mages face and knew he had just made those expressions himself. Walter didn't care how you pronounced her name. No fault was great enough to take away from the supreme aesthetic scene that he and the wizard were sole witnesses to. Well them and the guards, but they seemed to think she was their master, and not some impossible to obtain prize. It was in that spacious hall that Walter finally decided that in spite of anything and everything that could and would happen to him. He would not be going home willingly until he had at least tried to make a pass at her. And if she was off limits, then he had the constellation prize of trying to get a wizard to teach him magic. Walter finally convinced himself that this was no trick, either the greatest dream ever, or this was the afterlife, and heaven was whatever he wanted it to be. Walter silently prayed that he'd never sleep again, and even more that he wouldn't wake up.

Ch. 3 Trees and Numbers

Princess Drey loathed being on the throne in the stead of her parents who were touring the kingdom as they periodically did to make sure things were prospering. Sometimes they settled for messengers, but they felt it was important to be among the people to show that they were not above the people. They also knew how important it was to take risks for the people. Nobody would follow a leader into battle who didn't wield a sword themselves. So while King Yur and Queen Lain were off on their clean sweeping, Drey had to deal with any and all disturbances that would arise. Not that she minded, but that was just it. Things never happened when her parents left. Cro the castle wizard was her only company excluding the servants and knights who simply performed their routine tasks and performances. Drey wanted a chance to be something other than an icon. A mere symbol of the realm. And the only time that ever occurred was when she met with regional leaders at feasts and when a neighboring kingdom visited to discuss trade terms and potential political unification. Drey despised these as well because she was not a voice to be heard. She was just there to watch, until she was the oldest person there. It frustrated her that people had to be a certain age, or rant for a very long time before people listened to them. Drey was counting the tiles on the main hall floor when the garrison appeared with Rye and some guy who she couldn't really figure out. The captain of the guard informed her that a new face had appeared in the village, but how or why he was here had something to do with Rye. Drey soon realized that this might be the only time anything happened in the castle that she would have sole influence and say in. Drey was nervous, mostly because Rye and this man were looking at her with admiration. Why? Were they afraid she'd have them beheaded? Well no because Ando was peaceful precisely because the punishment was exile if you caused enough trouble. Drey decided to ask Rye first and then see if the visitor would talk.

"Rye! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Rye almost didn't respond. Not only had the princess finally spoken to him, but this might actually develop into a real conversation. If that happens, you can rest assured my poor victim that I'll thank you on any terms you name. Rye sighed with relief and finally spoke.

"I seem to have summoned this man from one of the unknown worlds. Furthermore, he does not speak Andoish, or any language within a stars distance if I had to guess. I will need time to return him home, but for the present I need time to replenish my strength, and think we should entertain our guest in any way you feel he deserves to be treated."

Drey relished Rye's words. Not only was this not a problem that would go away with a simple order. But it would tarry for some time. A week or two since Drey knew the limits of Rye and Cros' powers. With their combined power they could certainly return this fellow home. But it would take research and then there was the bigger question as to what kind of world he came from. He had stories no doubt, a lot since he was grown. That was the problem though cause her next question addressed to the guy went unanswered. Rye motioned for him to talk, introducing himself as an example.

"Walter, Walter Redd."

The stranger bowed, Drey introduced herself next. He repeated it, then faced Rye, and repeated his name with a bow. Drey started to get excited because at least for the next few days she would have something to supervise. First the visitor needed a place to stay. The palace was off limits otherwise the entire castle would get out of sync. Better to keep him close, but also at a distance.

"Rye!"

"Yes princess?"

"Walter as he is called will be your responsibility for the time being until I can speak with him. So for now try and teach him about Ando. And learn if there are spells to enable communication. Cro will research here and you will research on your own."

Rye gulped because such a request had never been made. Both for him to supervise someone, and to learn a spell that would enable communication. But he would treat it as all other tasks. He would complete it. And more earnestly because the princess had requested it. The king and queen thanked through the treasury. The princess might have words for him. And even if not, there would be other trips to see the princess until he got this Walter back to his land of changing runes.

Walter had been fairly quiet up to this point. Only understanding the mention of his name while trying tirelessly to guess the meaning of the other words. Walter made up his mind that he would save the princess Drey and wizard Rye the trouble. He would learn this language, if only to answer their questions, and get through the whole new host of problems he realized were about to he his. He needed a place to sleep, and some food and water. Walter was slightly concerned for his health because he had no idea where this was, let alone if the same laws applied here as in his home world. More importantly Walter needed, wanted to know if Rye was the real deal magician he was still praying he was. Even if he refused to teach him, he would watch, he would figure out some break through at least, and even if it took a million years for the next one. At least he would've gotten further than all those phony street performers who pretended to bend spoons with their minds, and faked ESP and speaking to the dead. On that hopeful thought, Walter gestured to Rye for food, water, and mimed sleep. The princess snickered at the sign language, but that just made Walter smile even more. Just wait your majesty. I want to talk to you, just be patient, the girls in my world wont talk to me in my native tongue. But I may never get a shot like this again, so I've got to learn at least one sentence to tell you before I go, if I go.

As Rye led Walter Redd to his house, he contemplated the turn of events. The duels would have to wait. Rye would be hitting his books, and probably some other books if he was going to get anywhere. Not to mention he would need a good week to be at his full strength again. In the meantime he would have limited magic and spells he could cast. Cro the castle wizard had chastised Rye for using too much magic, but assured Rye he would be on extra alert should anything happen before he replenished. Rye was about to mention Walters' big secret but was hushed by Cro through a tongue binding. Rye understood, it was punishment for his immature prank he had tried to pull, and was Cros' way of saying that he knew what Rye was talking about.

It became all the more obvious when Cro showed up at Rye's front door right after sundown. Walter had just finished eating and was motioning for something to write with when the knock came. Rye motioned for Walter to be quiet. And Walter complied. Anything to get this show on the road. Cro talked for what seemed an eternity with Rye. Walter hated being ignorant. Finally he broke the silence after raising his hand till he needed the other to hold it up. Cro and Rye just looked at him. Then the old wizard pulled something out of his robe. A crystal ball, it was Walter's first guess. Only it was about the size of an eight ball on a pool table. Cro motioned for Walter's hand, and had it rest on the orb. The bearded, yellow clothed mage then put his own on top. Rye was dressed in green and followed suit. Walter got the shock of his life.

"Evening Walter Redd."

Walter shouted for joy mentally, but then got shocked even more.

"You are intrigued by this."

"Yes, and will you please..."

He was cut off before he could finish.

"Yes, Rye and I will teach you the mystic arts."

Walter could not contain himself. He hugged the old man, who seemed nearly overwhelmed by the gesture.

"You have potential my lad."

"Hardly, I can't hide a coin in my other hand."

"Come with me."

The trio reached the forest near Ryes' house. Walter was so excited he started to hiccup. Cro and Rye looked and then continued the march. Walter trying to hold his breathe to resume his normal breathing again. Walter was booming with questions. In school nobody ever talked or asked questions. Walter never understood this. They just nodded to everything the teacher said, not questioning it or even caring if it was true or not. But Walter cared, he would not sleep tonight, because he was already certain that if he got a tenth part of what he wanted to learn at this point, he'd be bushed for sure the next day. Cro stopped at the base of a fairly young tree. Almost certainly a mere fifteen to twenty years old. Walter anticipated something, and even if it was some lame training like breathing or standing at attention for a year he'd do it. He couldn't think of any time in history that would rival what he was about to do with the rest of his life, whether it was five seconds or five decades. Cro fetched up the orb out of his robe again and beckoned Walter to grasp it again. This time Rye just observed. In truth, Rye was excited too. He knew that Cro was going to do something very risky, not as risky as his little prank that had got them to this point. But something that would forever resolve the question in his mind and in his fellow wizard. Could the powers this man possessed be channeled in this world?

So far this Walter Redd had exhibited no special abilities that would make him stand out in this world. Just an exterior voice and wardrobe that would only really warrant a brief stare or raised eyebrow. The tree was a good place to start though. Trees were among the oldest things alive in Ando, and they were teaming with life and knowledge. Rye himself wore green to remind him of the grass that had first spoke to him about being willing to bend. And not complaining because obstacles to growth kept showing up. Plants were endurance incarnate. They grew in deserts and in thick forests. Taking in their surroundings and transforming them into life. If this Walter Redd could learn this from a sapling, then the trees would speak to him, share their power with him. And if he were pure in the mind and heart, perhaps they would even let him use them from time to time.

Cro did the honors and instructed Walter to place his palm against the trunk of the tree. Walter expected to be made a fool of. But he would endure it, he wanted to learn, and he just wanted a chance. Even if this tree was the one he had to beg for assistance. It was more than anyone had ever done for him. The next moment Walter felt strange. The sensation was unfamiliar. He felt like energy was being taken from him, but at the same time he felt new energy, different energy flowing into him. He clung to the tree hoping that it was possibly some awakening of some sort. That's when Walter realized he was leaning against the tree. But that was impossible, his entire hand could wrap around the trunk. In the stead of the sapling stood a tree three times taller and three times thicker. What had just happened? Walter spoke, then gasped at what he had heard. It was an old voice, although technically a young voice as well. His voice back from being just out of high school. His voice had been much lower before that moment, now it was higher. Walter looked down at his hands and then it became no dispute. His hands and skin were without a single wrinkle or portion lacking the elasticity of collagen. Walter was speechless for a moment then asked his first question.

"How am I young again?"

"The tree wanted the energy you've accumulated for itself, and so it gave you another energy to make the exchange fair. You are both more whole now. The tree is closer to the sun, and you are back in the prime of youth."

'Do I have to give it back someday?"

"The tree will trade everything it has, and will expect you to do the same. Should you want energy of whatever sort, be ready to give an equal energy of value back."

"So basically have everything by sharing everything."

"I see your mind has not been reduced to a sprout."

"Walter then asked his next question."

"I didn't do anything though, how?"

He was cut off again, but that was fine, he had just added twenty years to his lifespan.

"I was just seeing if your power can be used. Some powers can change form quickly and often. Others are slow and do not change form so much as accumulate over time and eventually cause change. You will learn gradually what elements you command quickly, and which ones will take you till my age to get acquainted with. Already a sapling took hold of one of your energies. Now that you are at prime, the other trees will leave you alone. Wouldn't want a toddler on our hands anyway. And that was just a drop of your power. The rest is still waiting to be invested, converted, or used in a constructive way."

"They can't do this where I come from."

"They can, it just is manifested a different way. A good example would be a ship. It's true there are spells to command wind and waves, but a ship accomplishes the same feat by using the wind and waves. Sometimes you fight forces, other times you utilize them. Magic simply adheres to these two rules. Control the flow, conform to the flow. Most of us only excel at one or the other, mages strive to use both. Magic for the right occasion, and no magic when the balance is not there."

"So there are places and circumstances where magic can be used, and places where it would just cause trouble."

"You're learning way too fast Walter Redd. I will have Rye be your teacher for now. Come and see me only in regards to questions that Rye is unable to answer for you. One more thing."

"What master Cro?"

"Your bracelet please."

"You mean my watch, it helps me reckon time."

Cro was puzzled by this, as was Rye. Walter explained that his world had a twenty-four hour day, and 365 day year and how the watch simply told him when it was in reference to the year.

"So these runes are numbers, specifically the ones you use to keep history?"

"Yes, I was writing at the time I vanished and appeared here."

"Ah! Then that is the answer to how you got here. Your runes, your language, something about it was magical, and Rye's spell grabbed hold of it. I would imagine you have written quite a lot in your lifetime?"

"Yes, about this thick."

"That's a lot of energy. More than most spell books can boast. It just wanted a means of expression that would better fit the desires of its master. You are the master of these runes on your bracelet, and the ones you say you wrote back in your world. Those runes knew your desire, and simply bided their time until they could grant your request. They recognized Rye's spell and knew it could take you to where you wanted. In a way you performed a very powerful spell over the years. While Rye did one quite instantaneous. It would explain why you have so much power still within you. You have labored in only one way. And that is why it took so long for this spell to happen. Rye and I will expand on this. You will learn haste as well as patience, cause you've already got that down. You'll learn speed, and multiple routes to the same goal. You have a large store of magic. We'll see if we can't turn it into a host of tools, rather than just a raw, crude, simple one."

"Do I have to return home?"

"I don't know. That is an important question that needs answering. The magic you hold wanted this to happen. At the same time it was an accident on Rye's part. I'm sure Rye will apologize to you for any inconveniences it may have for you and your world."

"Not at all, even if you send me back, I now have twenty years of life I get to do over better this time."

"This world has taken a liking to you already. That may be reason enough for you to tarry. But for now the princess has ordered research on the runes from your world. I would like you to teach them to Rye and myself."

"Will you teach me yours?"

Cro was surprised at how quickly Walter as he now asked them to call him was trying to get comfortable in this world. Cro would have loved to spend the whole night talking about Walter's world. But there were tasks that needed his attention. For now Rye would have to suffice. Cro handed the orb to Walter charging him to keep it safe and use it to communicate with Rye and others if the need came. Walter requested writing tools and a list of the runes of Ando so that he could learn to speak. When asked if it was also his intent to learn more magic, Walter smiled and confirmed the accusation. Walter hastily wrote down numbers zero through nine, and the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet. After explaining it was a ten based number system, and that this was just one of hundreds of languages. Cro assured him that it would be enough for now. He urged Walter to get some sleep. And added a few enchantments to the thirty-eight year old teenage boy. Just a few protections to allow the transition between worlds to be more snug, and a good long oath from Walter that he would not try and use magic until directed by Rye or Cro. Walter promised, and did so with his muscles tensing. He had never wanted to go to school so much in his life than in that moment. But that complaint would have to wait, cause no sooner had Cro excused himself to return to the palace, then Walter put his head to his elbow and fell asleep there at Rye's table.

Rye had been the silent one now. And Rye was a little jealous so to speak. Not because this man had just received twenty plus years to his life. But now he had a treasure trove of magic that still had not been properly measured. Rye thought that perhaps there might be a way to extract it, or harness it from Walter. But that would require more research than he already had to do. It was fine Rye assured himself. Plenty of time now. Now the old bat can't die within the next decade. Ryes' biggest concern was what Cro would have in store for the man now turned boy once he completed the basic training. Rye would have to learn about this Walter character faster than Cro that was for sure. And most of all there were the mans' eyes. He had seen the princess and was completely stricken with her. Rye chuckled to himself, he had home field advantage, and he had a grasp of the Ando language. Let this foreigner learn as much as he liked. He'd speak like a five year old to the princess and his big chance he thought he had would sink faster than the brick that fell from the top of the town well not five days ago. Still Rye was still for the most part excited. He had a student now. He would push him to learn. Maybe even hope secretly that he would catch up to Rye, if not so that for once in his boring life someone might actually keep him on his feet during a duel. That was Ryes' goal for the time being. That and seize every chance to see Drey when she asked to see him and Walter and be up to speed on the status of the research and language.

Ch. 4 Master Student

Rye spent most of the night meditating to help speed up his recovery. Cro had made it clear to Rye that he was to subdue the man turned boy should his magic try to liberate itself and express itself. So much power vented up was sure to want to be used or at least cause some commotion for its master. Rye was still sore about being irresponsible with his magic. And so his punishment was appropriate, he had to make sure someone else didn't perform his mistake. And what made it worse was the fact that this soon to be novice wizard could cause a lot of problems if he didn't learn to control his magic. In his world he claimed that it was not in use. So there were others like this Walter, bursting at the seams with powers that had limited forms of expression. If Rye got a chance to send this Walter home, he would certainly reference the world in his archives, maybe visit it from time to time, that way he would harness the magic, the power supply would be limitless. More than all the forests of Ando, and maybe magical creatures that sweated magic like ten dragons. There were possibilities entering Ryes' mind, he was sure Cro was thinking even further than he was. But chances were they would just send him home. And with him gone, Cro and Rye would then be driven to learn traveling spells, and spells to combat the problems they would face in a world where magic slept for years, and then fell like rain after all the individual droplets had finally collected for a downpour.

These thoughts were slowing the meditation, but Rye found it ironic that his mistake was opening up a whole new amount of power to seek out and exploit. Rye soon got a rhythm and his meditation began to collect energy properly to replace the void made by his summoning. As he did this he began to pick up Walters' aura as he had before. So much joy, excitement, anticipation, Walters' emotions were overwhelming Rye, he couldn't meditate while this was going on, even at the subconscious level. Walter was enjoying his situation. He was not scared, nervous, or even shocked by the ordeal. It was like he had wanted this, and wanted wasn't even the word for it. He was content, that was the word. He would be satisfied quickly. Well that was good, wouldn't want an ambitious wizard to compete with Rye for the title of castle wizard some day. Rye would teach him some spell that would satisfy his curiosity long enough that he could get him back to Yuessay as Walter called it. Maybe how to create a breeze, or make it rain. Well those were moderately hard, but he would probably learn them anyway, and hopefully they would exhaust Walter enough if he used them enough times. And Rye could figure out where the magic started to need storing rather than usage.

Since meditation wasn't possible with this new distraction Rye probed into Walters' mind. Hopefully Cro was too far away to sense Rye doing this, but he had technically been asked to do research. The runes Walter had written were on the table, but Rye figured he would let Cro have a head start so he didn't feel stupid if Rye figured them out first. What Rye found in Walters' mind shocked him. A world of flying machines, metallic wonders that moved, and so much noise. The forests of Walters' world were being harnessed, so this was what was possible if you stripped a forest and used it to create massive fires and forges. Machines that could carry people great distances. There were even ones going around the earth, and Rye sensed a few on the moon as well, and some others further out. A world that was expanding to the stars, Walter had been lying about there not being magic. It was a kind that his kind had simply mastered more than the people of Ando. Rye was about to stop since he felt it was enough until he detected another metallic wonder. So much power Rye was tempted to hold back, but he probed deeper into Walters' thoughts. Power enough to destroy a world several times over. What was it? It was then that Rye realized that Walter was becoming hesitant to be probed. Was he sensing Rye? No! He was waking, so naturally he would be more alert. Rye broke off the connection. At the same time he realized that the level of positive energy in his house was rising. Walter would want training. He was ecstatic. His magic knew what he didn't. This world had what he wanted, a means of expression more conductive and enjoyable. Rye was on duty now. He must not let his treasure trove find a conduit, or he might permanently alter the weather, or even the landscape. Rye expected Walter would want breakfast, but then found himself watching his student begin some awkward body movements.

Walter looked up from the ground and retrieved the souvenir from master Cro. He explained to Rye he was training his body and would eat after an hour run around the house. Rye didn't see the harm in this, and since there was nothing magical involved he consented. Walter removed his two shirts. Maybe it was cold where Walter lived? And began a relaxing jog. He took in the sights, making sure to go strait so it would take him strait back to his rendezvous point. Rye was relieved that Walter had said an hour. It would make his job easier. From his house Rye could still sense Walter, and began studying the runes of Walters strange and powerful land. Maybe he would probe again tonight? It would all depend on what happened today. Cro would most certainly check up on them. And then it dawned on Rye that Walter would come back soaked in sweat and stinking. He would need a change of clothes, proper clothes, and he couldn't sleep at the table forever.

Fortunately Rye had placed his house near a brook a little ways into the forest. It took a few minutes, but Rye successfully created a dammed off area where his new pupil could wash himself when he got back. Now for clothes. Rye never wore his academy uniform, might as well make it useful. It was violet, hopefully it wouldn't dull Walters' spirit. It was the lowest color on the rainbow, hence the wizards wore the color corresponding to their level of mastery at the academy. Seven colors, Rye himself had only three left to advance. Cro of course was almost at the top, having mastered five of the seven levels of training. It had been decades since someone obtained the orange garb, and red was unthinkable because it suggested the power to control all. Rye finally got around to the breakfast problem by taking up a fishing pole in one hand, and the page of runes in the other. Rye quickly caught one fish, but had to wait a good long while for a second. Rye contemplated how eager one fish was, while another was so hesitant. Walter was eager, but in the fishes' case, that hadn't been a good thing. At the same time, the hesitant fish had still ended up getting caught when the urge became high. Two strategies that yielded the same result. It was a good lesson Rye decided. Walter had a path to his goals, and so did Rye. And with luck, they would both get what they wanted. At least as far as magic was involved.

The lesson had distracted Rye who realized he had only looked at three of the thirty-six runes from Walters' world. Rye looked them over slowly. Some of them were the same, just turned on their sides or slightly modified. This was a messy codex. Obviously it had borrowed these runes from several pools. But that also meant it was potent with power from several sources. If Rye was gonna decipher it, he'd need Cro, and maybe even Walters' help. But who knew how Walter used these runes. It was a relief that some of them were the same as the ones in Ando. O, a protection rune. 8 the time rune. And 7, the rune that completed a spell. Rye had not had enough time to put this one on his summoning. But others baffled Rye. E and 3, these had some interesting powers. Cro probably knew what they were, but that would only strengthen his hold on being the head wizard. The last runes Rye eyed were J and L. Obviously brother runes that were very powerful separately, and insanely powerful together. Rye was tempted to draw them, but not yet. It would be wise to have Cro test them with him. Start with one rune, see what happened, and then maybe two. Cro would never permit seven runes or more. Rye was restricted to five, and look what that had yielded. A new treasure trove of runes and a guy who had enough magic in an eye blink to make a tree reach maturity while lengthening out his own lifespan. The scary part was what if Walter learned the runes. Andoish was a language laced with magic words. Well Rye decided he would teach Walter simple words, ones with no real magic to them. Food, Clothes, nothing with multiple or infinite meanings. Those words would only get his sleeping magic to wake up that much faster. Rye would've been overwhelmed by another thought of all that was happening had Walter not entered the room. The first hour had been refreshing for Walter. Rye realized how tiring it was watching over this new student.

Walters' smile only got stronger as the day unfolded. A few times Rye was tempted to bind Walters' emotions so they wouldn't leak out so much. But then the entire dam would burst, so Rye settled for suggestion charms that kept Walter distracted so his enjoyment would never reach threshold. Walter asked about the purple robe and Rye insisted that it was his to keep. It was only when Walter modified the robe by cutting off the sleeves that Rye got a little frustrated. But then of course he had relinquished ownership and could do no more. Walter washed not only himself, but his clothes in the stream. Obviously they were very comfortable or had sentimental value to Walter. By the time Walters' clothes had dried, Rye had gotten an ample amount of study time into the runes. He decided he would study them in the order they were written in. He was just too lazy to sort them. But then Walter pointed out the runes A, E, I, O, U, and Y and said those were together. Thanks Walter. You just cut the amount of time it would take to decipher in half. Things were going quite well, Rye would now certainly figure out the runes before Cro with Walters' wonderful little hint.

At the same time, Walter returned to the table Rye was working at and began studying the Ando language. Writing it none the less. Rye was getting nervous, especially if Walter wrote a magical word down. Walter said he would learn ten words a day, twenty if he could. Rye made it clear he would decide if a word was permissible. So Walter made a list of ten words quickly and through the orb Cro had given him asked their pronunciation and spelling in Andoish. Rye was content with the words selected except one, princess. Why would Walter pick this one on his first day and especially as the tenth word? Every wizard knew the first and last words were always the most important. Rye marked the word in his mind because he didn't want any other words popping up that were connected to it. Walter was butchering the words as he tried to pronounce them out loud, and Rye found himself correcting him. He soon regretted this because Walter was learning fast. Already Rye could feel Walters' hidden reserves of energy latching themselves onto the words he was speaking. Who would've thought "food," could have a magical power attached to it. It got worse when Rye tried the fish he had prepared for their late breakfast. How Walter had enchanted the fish was a mystery to him, but it had enhanced the meal, made it taste better, easy to chew. Given training, Walter would almost certainly learn to make the food a weapon. Poisonous, sleep inducing, might even go as far as to enslave people with it. Jokes on you Walter, you have no clue what you've done, but I do. I'll study this, and I'll have you eating out of the palm of my hand, and it'll be dirt of all things.

Walter said he enjoyed the fish, well of course stupid, but let's keep you that way. Walter then asked if they could train. Rye of course knew Walter would ask this. He had just expected that it would be the moment he woke up. Why had he wanted to run of all things? Didn't matter, Rye had an enormous head start on the runes now, and had learned not one but two things about fish in a mere hour. Can't wait to see what you teach me next Walter. By evening there's a good chance I'll have figured out the secret to immortality. But no, that didn't occur. Instead Rye found Walter asking about trees. That was bad, the more Rye lied, the weaker his magic would be. And Walter would end up asking Cro who would teach him and that would have untold consequences. Cro had to be as far away as possible. At least when the princess was not around. Rye had no choice, he just hoped that Walter would stop at the trees. Rye explained that listening was important, listening enabled a wizard to sense the balance and imbalance of a place. What energies were available, and what energies were missing and needed to be brought to a place to enhance the power and potential of the area. That was basically the first stage of magic. If Walter mastered this he would move to an indigo colored robe, and then to blue. Blue would involve service, good deeds. You listened to the needs of a place, and then you had to actively do things in order to get the trust of the elements and to get them to start talking. Rye hoped Walter wouldn't figure this out. However Rye was wrong, Walter had said those things yesterday that only a wizard at Cros' level should know. Even now Walter was standing perfectly still, eyes closed, listening. Rye sensed it, the magic in Walter was circling. Rotating like the world and the planets. Damn! Thought Rye. He's already set his power in motion, it's gonna rotate like that till the day he dies. Cro would sense it upon his next visit. He'd compliment Ryes' skill at teaching, but worse, Cro would go the extra mile and teach Walter how to gain favor with the trees, the water, the grass, the insects. Rye just hoped Cro didn't show up for another day. That was when a messenger appeared for Rye, saying the princess requested Rye and Walter come to the palace for lunch. Ryes' concern melted away, he was gonna eat at the castle. This didn't happen often. Usually came as part of his pay before going on a quest. Whatever Ryes' feelings had been were drowned out by the prospect of having a social encounter with the princess. With any luck it would just be the two of them. Well three, but Walter wouldn't understand the conversation anyway. This was great. Rye told Walter to pause, that they would resume the exercise later. For now they had an appointment to make, and it was unwise to keep a princess waiting. It took Rye a moment to realize that Walter didn't understand a thing he'd said. Rye grinned and uttered the only words he was sure Walter would understand in Andoish. Princess! Food!

Ch. 5 Story Telling

Princess Drey should have been in the dinning hall at the palace, but was outside instead. She wanted to be as ready as possible for two reasons. One, if her parents the king and queen arrived today they would usurp all her claims to this incident, and she'd have to count the tiles all over again. Two, she was hoping with all earnestly that Walter would have some exciting stories about his strange land to tell. She also hoped that Rye or Cro would be able to relay what Walter was saying. She had looked at the runes Cro had showed her, and was intrigued that Cro reported that Walter claimed to be learning their language. Drey was flattered that this strange old man would be so willing to learn. But she also had to be observant. Ando was a land of wizards and relatively peaceful. In the past wizards had violated the rules and caused factions and wars in the land. The last of the orange and yellow classed wizards had bound each others magic and where they were imprisoned was yet to be found out. Cro had been young at the time, and one of his many responsibilities was to locate the missing warlocks who had served with courage to bring balance back to the land. He spoke fondly of one of his masters and said it was his lifes' ambition to locate him, free him from his binding if that's what had become of him. That story was reverenced in Ando. The biggest discussion it gave rise to was whether or not there was a red class wizard at one point.

It had been years, and the stories kept changing, and fewer and fewer witnesses existed to clarify the truth and write it down. Cro himself was one of the few elderly who remained, who could at least lay claim to have being there. Cro had confessed everything to the princess. About Walters' sleeping power, and how Cro suspected that he might very well reach the class of yellow or orange if properly trained. Drey inquired if Cro had any plans to use the man for finding his master. Cro confessed a desire, but assured the princess that he'd perform all the duties she required of him. Such were the lessons he had learned from his master, and should he betray his masters' teachings, he would have no hope of eventually reaching an answer as to how to find the man that had saved his life. Drey wanted to know more of that story, but Cro told her he had promised not to reveal that until he found his master. Then there would be two voices to clarify the truth, and bring some of it back.

There was no way Walter would know that legend, but at least today Drew told herself that maybe something of that sort had happened in the history of Walters' people. Drey scanned the horizon, just hoping that they'd arrive thirty minutes, no fifteen at least before her parents got back. Cro came out to wait with her, only it wasn't a long wait. Obviously the headmaster had sensed the timing of the arrival of his pupil and his pupils' student. Drey suddenly realized that there was no menu prepared, and Cro instinctively said he'd take care of it. Drey wanted to rebuke Cro for reading her thoughts. But Cro never lied, and rarely kept secrets. Those were the things that let you know who your friends were. Cro had confessed his intentions, Drey had yet to follow suit. Maybe if Rye opened up she'd have the courage to do it too. And this Walter, he would certainly open up. Or this entire afternoon would be a waste, just another dream the princess had had that would be dashed to pieces. The princess scanned again, this time she could see the green and purple specks in the distance. The green was no doubt Rye. All the other wizards of Ryes' class level only wore their tunics at the academy. Rye was an on call wizard, and so he had to be easy to find. What better way than to stick out like a sore thumb. Drey naturally assumed the purple speck was Walter. She would've stayed to greet them, but realized how nervous she was getting and instructed the guards at the castle doors to allow them in and escort them to the dinning hall. The knights bowed in affirmation and Drey rushed back inside. She was about to ask Cro what they would be eating but decided against it. At least the meal would be a surprise should it turn out that Rye had learned nothing, and Walter couldn't think of any good stories.

To Dreys' surprise the dinning hall was finely prepared, Cro assured her it would be a fine meal. The knights' would simply have their hands full the rest of the day catching dinner should the king and queen arrive since he had pretty much emptied the kitchen for the occasion. Drey seated herself at the head, and Cro sat to her left. Rye and Walter would soon be here since the clanking of the knights' armor was getting louder. Drey silently prayed that nothing would interrupt the meal. For once she wanted something less predictable, and memorable. When she caught sight of the young man in a sleeveless purple robe, she almost screamed, but Walter had spoken just a little bit early before the first gust of air could escape from her.

"Princess Drey."

He bowed as he had before. Rye followed suit, annoyed that Walter had presumed to speak first, and irritated that he hadn't done it himself. Cro sensed the atmosphere and assumed the part of getting things comfortable.

"It seems you boys have had a productive morning. Please sit down and enjoy some bread and cheese. The main course will arrive momentarily."

Walter took his time, but Rye hastily seated himself as if it would make up for being second to address the princess. Walter didn't notice it for some time but the princess was staring at him. The stare befuddled Walter cause he couldn't tell if she was frightened at his new appearance, or looking at someone she knew intimately. Walter was about to clarify the circumstances when Rye ended the scene by beginning his own topic.

"Cro decided this would be compensation for our inconvenience until we can get him home. So do not worry princess, it is Walter to be sure, and we will discuss the runes of his land if you'd like over the course of the meal."

Walter smiled and nodded to play along with the act. Cro nodded as well, and the princess seemed to be less burdened with whatever it was she was feeling. Walter produced the orb and would've used it had it not floated back to Cro. He threw it up in the air, touched it to the princess' forehead and it returned to Walter who caught it at the speed of a baseball pitch.

"Are you comfortable Walter?"

Walter eagerly nodded, he was hesitant to speak because he wanted to know the reason behind Dreys' stare. He decided against it but then got stopped by another message.

"Only you can hear my thoughts. I will speak to Rye and Cro in our language. They can't hear what I'm saying now. After the meal I will speak to you in private. For now please eat and I will communicate anything important said by Rye and Cro. Do you understand?"

Walter understood, this was a business meal, and he was the next appointment after this meeting with Cro and Rye. Walter wished he knew more words, but the less he understood, the more pressure and motivation there would be to learn. At the same time though he would have a private chat afterwards. He just wished he knew what it was about. Didn't matter, at least not yet. Walter buttered a piece of bread and began chewing. Followed by an enormous gulp of water. The cheese tasted funny, but Walter was too hungry to care. He did care for the meat that was brought out a moment later. Walter wanted to say it was Peking duck, but it was much larger. Peking ostrich perhaps? Walter thought it was delicious and the only complaint was he'd like something sweeter to drink.

In an instant, the water pouring down Walters' throat began tasting like Root Beer. Walter almost went into shock and the table shook with his twitching. For a moment Cro, Rye, and Drey stopped their conversation and looked up. Walter began coughing, pounding his chest to make it look like he was choking. He raised an arm to assure he was ok. But then Princess Drey lifted her own goblet to her face, and reenacted the very thing Walter had done. Rye and Cro eyed their cups filled with the brownish bubbling liquid. At this point Walter was no longer excluded from the table. Drey demanded the name of the beverage and Walter found himself talking about drinks of all things. The billiard sized orb was in the centre as Walter answered the questions of Rye and Cro, but mostly Drey. They stayed on the Root Beer topic for a long time, because Rye finally spilled the beans about Walter mastering the listening stage of magic in a single day. Cro clamped Walters' shoulder, and confirmed that the magic was spinning very fast. Rye feigned ignorance and asked how Walter could turn water into an unknown drink. In other words, he had created a spell on the spot. The answer was obvious of course. Walter didn't know the spell, but so much magic at his disposal was making the spell occur. He was using more than was necessary to do such a meaningless spell. But the words Root and Beer wanted to be manifested, even if it meant harnessing enough energy to do it on a whim. Rye didn't mention the fish Walter had enchanted. That would simply get Cro to assume a supervising role. Cro did spend a good while putting limiters on Walter. Spells that would channel the magic in ways that were easy to predict and maintain. A healing charm that would use Walters' magic to heal his body and nearby things like people and plants. A restoration spell that would mend his clothes and any tools he came in contact with. And finally a barrier that would only activate if Walter got too excited and would subdue him long enough for Cro and Rye to perform more charms in the future. Hopefully Walter would never get that much of his magic to leak out.

Walter wanted to know about spinning energy and what he could do to help, but Rye assured him that they had everything under control, and patience was the key. Cro then uttered what Rye had purposefully just tried to avoid, service. Rye was barely able to contain himself this time. Why did Cro so eagerly teach this newcomer? It was two days and already this guy who had never traveled in the wilderness, learned to meditate for hours, or even just stare at a sunset was doing what had taken Rye half a year. It took most wizards a few years to learn the first two steps. Rye had done it in six months, that's why he was gifted. This secret might be kept safe between the four of them. But eventually Walter would draw attention. His magic would get him noticed, and all that would do is hasten his learning, and then he could ask every wizard at the academy his questions. Rye knew he had to take control of this situation fast or Cro would be teaching him the third step before the sun rose tomorrow morning. Rye had to be convincing though, or Cro would take this new prodigy under his wing and than Rye wouldn't have any reason to stick around.

"Doing good deeds helps the magic find ways to manifest itself. It also enables you to find where your magic has its limits. Different deeds require different elements and rules. But the more you serve, the more clear the needs and ingredients become."

Rye hated every spat he had just spoken because he then realized he had unintentionally given away the third level, elements. No big deal, those could be anything as far as Walter was concerned. And there were several of them, so even if Walter figured out one, he'd still have a good long time figuring out the others. Too bad for Rye, Walter asked a question that let him know that it wouldn't be very long at all.

"Are water, fire, earth, and air some of these elements?"

Yes was the reply Cro gave, and he even went as far as to add some others. Shadow, time, light, why not tell him all ten? Well Rye knew there were more, but all wizards got taught the seven basic ones. After that it was a matter of combining them and figuring out the infinite number of other ones out there. Walter seemed to be content for the moment.

"What about the letters, runes, and stuff?"

"That wont happen until you can speak a little my lad."

Cro had actually bought Rye some time. What luck. Walter would have to choose what project to invest in. His training, which would involve listening, service, and possibly the elements. But how could he balance that against learning the runes of Ando? Every child in Ando had to learn the runes before enrolling in the academy. How was Walter gonna learn the basic words when he didn't know more than ten words at present? That was the sweet problem. Walter could theoretically use his own language, or he could use Andoish. Problem was it would take twice as long if he tried to use them both. Rye had had to fight off wizards from neighboring realms at times. They had languages similar to Andoish so it took some doing, but eventually he figured out the words and could undo or reverse their spells. Walter posed a huge threat. He had a language all his own, at least as long as he didn't teach it to anyone else. Add Andoish to it and he could create spells that could take very long to break. No, they would be unbreakable because no one would have enough knowledge to decipher the runes. The codex Walter had given them would make trial and error attempts possible. But then Walter could just make up new spells, and they'd be back to the countless exhaustive hours of trying to reverse what took Walter only moments to do.

Rye realized he would have to spend the entire night thinking up some plan to keep Walter at bay. Some spell that Walter wouldn't detect. No, that Cro wouldn't detect. Something to keep him one step behind Rye at all times. It was too risky to let Walter keep learning at this pace, he had a ways to go, but he'd surpass Rye if he wasn't stopped while he was still a sprout. Soon he'd be a strangling vine that would keep growing. Rye realized that he had to be cautious every moment of the day. Any more slip ups and Walter would accidentally turn him into a mouse or something that didn't even move. Rye excused himself from the meal saying he was going to cook up some charms to help protect the village since Walter was gonna start doing service and good deeds soon. That seemed to satisfy Cro and the princess. It would be a shame to miss story time with Walter. But Rye figured he'd just go on another mind trip tonight after Cro brought Walter home. Home, to a house Rye was about to rig with more magic than he had ever dared used. So Rye would lose a days worth of meditation. Small price to pay if it slowed down Walter the way it should. Walter would be confused, unfocused while in the house. He'd learn one less thing a day than he could, and that added up to break throughs that wouldn't occur as soon as they could in a more appealing environment. Rye walked home cheerfully, and began casting spells on the path Walter would certainly take back.

Walter would've gone with Rye but Drey asked him to stay a while and finish answering her questions. Walter tried to talk about interesting things, but was finding more and more that they weren't. Eventually Walter found himself telling Drey fairy tales, stories he'd heard as a child. Ones that he said never happened anymore, and that there was no visible evidence that they had ever happened. Surprisingly, this was not so boring to Drey. Walter expected it to be since her world was obviously full of these sort of things. But it turned out that Drey told him about the disappearances of their best wizards, how Cro was the last true wizard in the realm. That Rye and the academy wizards were only a fraction as powerful, and fewer and fewer people were studying the arts because the great wizards had vanished. Possibly destroyed by their own enchantments. This did manage to get Walter to tell them about Hiroshima and a few other war stories that rivaled this so called wizard war. Cro and Drey were terrified by the story. But relieved when Walter told them that the people in his world refrained from using these weapons now because they would mean the end of life. While this served to make the great wizards absence a possible blessing. Drey and Cro reminded Walter that magic had many virtuous uses, and that was why they were so eager to not lose the precious gems that it could bring by continuing to protect the realm. Walter agreed with that, the fact that magic had claimed existence in his time at one point was something he wanted answers to. Maybe that was what was happening in this world. Magic was being replaced by a new energy that was easier to manifest to the needs of the people. Cro consented this possibility, but Drey dismissed it and on that note asked Cro to teach Walter as much as possible, if only so Walter could help preserve it a little longer, if not help restore it.

Walter was flattered, but assured Drey he was no prodigy, and even if he was, he would never attempt to do anything he wasn't sure of the consequences. Cro was about to take Walter home when Drey requested that Walter see her in her private chamber. Walter said she ought to have a guard or usher of some sort, but the princess was eager. Walter was scared that she was gonna throw him in the dungeon or something for being a potential hazard on her kingdom. Cro said he would wait for Walters' return. And with that Walter found himself half amused and half scared that this girl has aggressively dragging him out of the dinning hall, up a flight of stairs and into a bedroom.

Walters' dating life had been anything but normal. The truth was Walter had had a dozen girls that he had felt some genuine interest in trying to know and be reliable to. Most wouldn't have anything to do with him. Others wouldn't bother to learn his name. All of them except one hadn't even agreed to go on a second date with him. Through all of it, Walter had suffered terribly because he had no clue why it was happening, what he had done wrong, and what attribute was so prevalent in other guys that they kept having success where he always failed. Worst part of it all was Walter had dates arranged for him by roommates, associates, friends, relatives, all of these were wrong even with the gamble that they might land him with someone of a nicer disposition than all the fish he had chased after. Walters' social skills came from books, videogames, and movies. Artificial simulations that made it look like it was easy and that it all boiled down to choice, desire, and willingness to get along. That was a nice ideal worldview. But Walter knew that personalities changed, grudges died hard, and that people were cruel and judged you by outer appearances every chance they got cause it was easier to think you were right and have outward evidence. Than to believe till it hurt and ached all over. In the stories people found ways to cope with each other, usually after being through a lot. But Walter had no such history with anyone, and he certainly had tried to see things from others' perspectives, do things on their terms. The feeling just wasn't mutual. Walter was constantly a target, victim, and scapegoat at school, work, and even with his own family. It was like the whole world was in on something that Walter was clueless about, and powerless to do anything about. So whatever happened, Walter was sure that even in this new world, there was still bound to be a measure of that same rotten luck. That track record that was for most of the world, the solid evidence that Walter was for whatever reason not datable, a waste of time, and not someone who even deserved to be spat at or punished. Even that would feel better to Walter because it was better to be needed for something than to not be needed at all.

The bedroom looked like every romance film Walter had watched, only it wasn't so well lit. But of course, Hollywood couldn't tell it as it was cause everything had to be accentuated. Walter almost wished it was a play or scene being acted out because if it was he'd have an easier time dealing with the rejection. Already this girl had invited him to lunch, and had actually shown an interest in something he had to say. Why weren't all girls like that? It would solve so many of the worlds problems that stemmed from jilted moments, and simple misunderstandings that could've been something beautiful if people weren't so selfish and stupid to think that everyone was a potential enemy before a potential friend. This scene was too good for Walter, it would alleviate so much pain, erase away every humiliating moment of his life. Make all his suffering not be in vain. Walter had been here two days now, and this would be the final scene before he woke up. He was sure of it, the fantasy that fixed everything would never occur. If it did it would be more unbelievable than anything, cause it would mean Walter had been right about what he wanted. And that the rest of the world had somehow settled for a less than perfect compromise. Relationships where it was toleration as much as it was love. Where not being alone was the sole reason for permitting all the evils that prevailed in dating life. Cheating, taking back the traitor, keeping score, and fighting over their own children in court if they married. How was that right in any universe? But Walter knew, social acceptance was the reigning trump card in the world he came from. Morality, true brotherhood, those were just pretty words that people weren't willing to fight for cause it just hurt too much. Better to settle for something that at least gave the illusion of happiness. But that always hit a brick wall down the road. Walter knew or at least thought that way because he had yet to hear a story of two lovers who overcame everything to be happy regardless of circumstance or mishap. There was always an obstacle that beat the couple, usually death. One of them would lose faith, or one would go bad. It was the same story being told for another audience each time. You expected a happy ending, but come another generation later and you were right back to the hate and suffering that spawned the need for two such people to exist in order for the world to get back in some better direction. The world could be saved if two people learned to love each other. That was the lesson in all those things that had given Walter the pathetic, outdated, yet to work social and mental behavior he was about to use one last time.

Hang it all he thought. Fools don't fall in love. The brave ones do. They can't stand the idea of a one night stand, or something so wonderful ending. Who was the first pessimist? I'd sure like to beat some sense into him or her right now. So what if nothing happens? My whole life is one big failure anyway so what is one more? If I can't make this person happy, no one can. They'll just give her something inferior in every way to what I had in mind. And if it is better than mine, hallelujah, praise the Lord. Then I come out a wiser man and finally figure out what I've been doing so wrong all this time. I have twenty years to think about what happens after this moment. The last thing Walter thought before the princess finally spoke was why Rye wasn't in the room. He found out the answer immediately.

"Walter, I knew you'd come back."

Before Walter could reply Drey had pushed him against her bedroom wall and was sobbing into his robe that was taking in the tears. It was true Walter had come back to the castle. But the way she said it had made it clear that she meant he had been in Ando before. The reason Walter thought that was because she had just spoken in plain English. Walter realized the orb was still on the table where Cro was. She shouldn't be able to speak at all. And yet Walter knew he had heard it. Walter had never comforted a girl outside his family before, so he kept his arms at his sides while Drey clung to him so tight Walter wanted to move his arms just to see if he could.

"Where did you learn my language?"

"From you my love."

Walter wanted to stop the physiological response but he couldn't. His eyes watered up instantly. Tears streamed down his eyes faster than he could blink. This was a spell, a trick of some sort. It had to be. But if so, why was his body so certain that it knew it was the truth? It was the same feeling as with all the other times. The desire for it to be real. So much so that when the answer was no, the loss of the potential friend, the should be soul mate was unbearable through out the night. Walter didn't cry this time because he had lost one of them. This time the tears were the proof he had always wanted. Someone loved him. Somehow the impossible was possible. It was possible to love a nothing, and then it would be the same as loving everything.

"Drey, I don't understand."

"You came to me three years ago in disguise. You said the kingdom was in danger and that you would protect the realm even if you never saw me again. Cro knows the details, but back then you disappeared from time to time. Always returning to make sure I was safe. We went through so much, and you promised me the next time I saw you you'd not remember me and that I was to show you this."

Drey reached into her bosom and produced a necklace. No! A ring on a chain, a class ring. Walter snatched it, but made sure not to yank Drew along with it. It was his, scratched, battered, and cankered with rust, but it was his high school graduation ring without a doubt. But that was also impossible. He hadn't brought it with him. It was back home. Cleverly hidden in a drawer in a spot only he knew and could find. How was it here then? If what Drey said was true, then couldn't this future Walter appear any minute now and assume his rightful place at her side. But what would that make him? A doppelganger? Always one minute behind his happier and better self who had him standing in the dust? But there was also the added hope that maybe there was another Drey. A Drey ahead of this one, or behind her? By seconds? By minutes? It was starting to make Walters' head hurt. But she had said he wouldn't remember. So this other Walter who knew Drey knew he would be here. But was he just a stand in until he got back? Walter didn't like being his future selves' chess piece so he urged Drey to tell him more. Drey kept it all gray. Only mentioning that the realm was in danger, the missing wizards were involved somehow, and that Walter had to go to Cro as quickly as he could to find out the rest of the quest that would be entrusted to him. Upon finishing Drey said one other thing.

"Walter you and I made a promise."

"Your promise is with the other Walter then. And I have no right to have what is rightfully his."

"No Walter, we promised that if you returned and you felt this was your first time here. That you returned to your youthful state and found yourself here in my chamber, we would get married on one condition. You must restore your ring to its original state."

Walter was electrified with pressure. He'd never willfully performed magic yet. Cro and Rye had strictly forbidden it. The Root Beer had been unintentional. But it wasn't really an accident cause Walter had desired it somewhere during the meal. This was a direct command to do a spell. Walter contemplated going to Cro first, but that would ruin this moment in ways that would bother Walter for all eternity. Walter extended his hand and Drey placed the ring and chain in his hand. Walter had no idea what to do. He wasn't even sure that the future Walter had been decent enough to leave him a clue of some sort. Who cares? The only thing standing between him and Drey was making this ring brand spanking new. Cro had put charms on him to enable such an occurrence. But Walter decided to go a step ahead of that cliché version where someone else had set up everything for him. He'd try and transform it. A ring for a ring, couldn't be that hard. Walter closed his eyes, listening to the ring and chain as they clinked and applied pressure to his hand. Walter didn't know what to do next, but he envisioned the ring, then he envisioned another. The one he had conceived for that special person one day. Gold, engraved with words with meanings only known to him and her. Walter poured all his feelings into the thought. The love that had only grown stronger and purer each time it didn't find a worthy recipient. Walter opened his eyes and there it was, the chain gone. Perfect as he had always envisioned it.

For a moment Walter feared he had made the mistake in not following the exact order, which was to restore the ring to its original form. It was no class ring. But Drey seemed to anticipate the thought and darted in.

"It looks the way it did three years ago."

Walter realized that if that were true, then he was going to go home at some point, retrieve his class ring, give it to Drey, change it into his token of love and then as the magic left it, it was going to revert back to its class ring status. And then he would leave instructions to Drey to wait for him. But when was all this supposed to happen? Walter didn't care that much, he just had one more question.

"Do I always restore the ring every time I come back?"

"Yes, and this time it will never diminish because it will forever be charged by you. Even if you are far away."

"Drey! I wish I knew more about you."

"You don't have to know anything except that I love you. Believe that and everything else gets revealed down the way."

Walter stared into her eyes and asked her the question he'd wanted to ask on the third date, the thing he wanted to propose each time but never knew enough about a girl to ever be permitted to ask.

"Drey! Will you believe that I love you too?"

"Only if you hurry and give me the only proof that is really needed."

Walter thought she meant the ring, but that could wait. Walter pulled Drey close to him and then drew her in even closer. He kissed her a long while, and as it happened she let herself lean into him. They sunk to their knees and Walter was completely unaware of the wall he was against because he was so much more concerned that Drey was there. When they reached the floor, Drey looked up at Walter and he looked down at her. They were both in tears, and they both knew the other was beyond such trivial things as a few drops of water on the face. They embraced again, and Walter let his joy fill the entire room, then the castle, and then it continued onward, and it kept going.

Ch. 6 Falling over

Cro almost got knocked over when he felt the surge of magic that had enveloped the castle. Whatever had just happened was shaking the entire world with it. Cro concentrated and then realized he was wise not to probe at this particular moment. Cro waited, then grew impatient. Mostly because he wanted to talk to Walter almost as much as the princess. Almost, but when the couple descended down the stairs Cro noticed two changes. One, Walters' magic had just been poured into a golden ring around the princess' finger, and Walters' magic was continuing to leak out at an alarming rate. Love magic? Of course you old fool. It's the same reason you've been waiting all this time. I just didn't expect this Walter to be convinced until I told him my story. Cro felt bad about ruining what was obviously the happiest moment of the late afternoon, but he had waited decades for Walter, while Drey had waited three years. Cro prayed his spells would hold Walter should his interruption prove to his magics' disliking.

"Forgive me your highness, but I have the realm to protect and the next few minutes are crucial to victory."

"Yes, yes, Cro. Please take Walter, but be back in a few hours."

"What for?"

"The wedding. I've waited three years and will not let either of you leave this castle for your quest until the ceremony is over."

"Don't you want to wait for your parents?"

"Oh I wish the whole country were there, but I fear something will happen. I want this at least. Maybe an anniversary party at some future date, but please Cro, it's just one night I ask."

"Very well."

Walter was the one Cro found having trouble cooperating. He didn't want to leave Drey for a second. Eventually Cro let him hold Drey a second time, then he finally resorted to a marching chant that seemed to be working. Walter followed Cro out the castle door and then he stopped. The trail to Ryes' cottage was fowl with stumble and trip chants that would enslave even Walters' march through it. Cro was concerned why Rye would do this. Then Cro sensed the air and realized he had only seconds to act to keep Walter out of real trouble. Cro instructed Walter to remove the boots lent to him by Rye. Walter complied and with a wave of his staff, the boots burst into flames. Walter shuddered because his only pair of socks were slowly getting holes in them. But the joke didn't start there.

"Cast off the tunic Walter, you are easy to track as long as you wear it."

Walter quickly removed it, and watched Cro do something a little cooler this time. The tunic vanished into thin air. Walter was excited at the spell, but also realized that Cro was not relaxed, which meant that other magic no one liked to talk about was probably close by.

"What's happening Cro?"

"A wizard has just broken his vows, and will not rest until he has vanquished the motivator for such an abominable act."

"You don't mean…?"

"I'll explain in a minute, first we need to hide before he comes."

Walter was curious if they would teleport the way he had appeared in Ando two days ago. But instead he saw Cro writing Ando runes in the ground. Etching them with his staff, and adding water from a gourd when the dirt was less cooperative. Soon there was a hula hoop sized circle of runes on the ground. Cro snatched Walter by his shirt and told him to stay in the circle. As Cro closed his eyes Walter wanted to ask if his magic could help the spell in any way. The thought reached Cro just in time and he responded.

"Think of the weirdest thing you possibly can."

For Walters' imagination this would be easy, but when you have two seconds it's kind of hard to do. For some reason the thought of it raining fish popped in there. And sure enough the instant Cro and Walter vanished along with the runes and some of the dirt, it did indeed start raining fish. The first of the fish coincidentally hit Rye on the head as he exited his cabin. Soon he was getting whacked ridiculously hard by falling fish. Soon the ground was covered and Rye was furious that he had lost them when he had the element of surprise.

Not a half hour before the fish hit Rye on his head, he had previously been knocked over by the largest gust of magic he had ever felt. It caught him completely by surprise and he fell backwards in his chair, hitting the back of his head on the floor. Rye would've cursed had he not been curious as to the source of the magic. Of course Walter was the likely cause, but how could so much magic be freed like that? What was Cro doing? Rye pulled himself off the ground and assumed a seated position to meditate. Cro would be far away, but Rye was finally convinced that he was gonna lose his head start if he didn't take action and probe everyone in the castle before Cro decided to act. Rye found Cro no problem, but to his dismay found he was just drinking his Root Beer of all things, and just tapping the table in the dinning hall. Where was the princess and Walter? Cro seemed agitated, at least that must be why he hadn't sensed Rye poking around in his mind. He caught a faint memory of the princess leading Walter up the stairs. Rye was interested in that. He tried to find Drey but couldn't seem to penetrate her mind. How was that possible? He finally realized that Walter was wearing his boots and tunic. They would have traces of his own aura in them, so he tried to locate those. It took some doing, cause they were neglected objects that had lost much of their magic scent. When he finally located the tunic, he attached himself to Walter because his large mass of magic was easier to connect with. Rye was not ready for what he saw. And worst of all the emotions poured into him so quickly that he had to force himself to break contact. He'd never done that before, it was humiliating that there were emotions so powerful that even he had to retreat or submit to the feelings that were hitting him like a tidal wave.

Rye didn't try to read again, he had seen what he had sensed and hadn't acted swiftly enough to stop. Not only was Walters' magic now spinning with the added power of love, but the princess was willfully giving herself to him. Why? She didn't even know him. What sort of enchantment had Walters' magic subconsciously done to her? Rye had had enough of this. This accident of his was bringing all his nightmares to life. A rival who would surpass him, a competitor who could actually beat him at his own game. Rye had wanted this to be sure. He had just expected that he would win without much effort. No, this was a test of will. This was the line that divided a green class wizard to the next level. Rye was gonna have to do more if he wanted to even have a chance of getting things back to normal. He'd send Walter home. Erase his memories if at all possible. It'd be pointless if he didn't, cause Walter would certainly find a way back. He had kissed her, she had let his feelings and hers circulate between them. That was the challenge wasn't it? Rye would now have to learn three spells. One to get rid of Walter, another to get rid of his access to this place, and a third that would somehow trick Drey and Cro into thinking nothing had happened. He'd go for Cro first. He was powerful, but if he wasted an ounce of strength on Walter or Drey then he wouldn't be at maximum performance. Even now he had six days less the magic than he was used to. One fail swoop in one night thought Rye. Then he could rest forever. He'd be number one, he might even go as far to replace Cro as castle wizard. And through it all, defeating Walter would be his supreme victory. The one that would never be tainted by time. An eternal testimony that Rye had the power to subdue any foe, and acquire any desire. The act that would convince him and anyone that anything was possible if you could defeat a natural, outwit your teacher, and get a princess all in one night.

Rye busied himself with all his most trusted commodities. His staff, and his wand should he need to double up the spell casting. A few choice potions to temporarily give him an extra boast since he was still diminished. And of course his gourd and spellbook, if he needed some heavy duty spells that would take much longer to perform and to break. It was suddenly a realization to Rye that he had wasted even more magic hexing the house and trail. Rye was really mad at how horrible this day had gone. It had started with fish, so peaceful until Walter had to make it taste better when Rye had done all the work of catching them. What had Walter done to deserve anything? The first thing Rye consented to do when he found Walter would be to put him to sleep for a week. That would convince him it had all been a dream. His kiss with the princess, thinking it was a false memory would be much worse than if he destroyed access to it. It would also give him the needed time to send him home. No interruptions, complete freedom to decipher his language. A language that so far had proved it could make a tasty beverage. So not scary. If that was what Rye was up against why was he so worked up? As if tempting fate, that was coincidentally the thought going through Ryes' mind as a large six pound fish by the feel of it hit Rye squarely on top of the head. The six pounder was the least of Ryes' problems. Preparing to rise, the next one was seven pounds and landed squarely between Ryes' legs just below the waist. He didn't get up for quite some time. And the beating continued for a long agonizing minute.

Ch. 7 Mutton Hollow

Cro would've hit the ground hard after completing the displacement spell for two people but luckily Walter cushioned the fall. It was followed by a small groan, and Cro slowly picked himself up, Walter changed the subject almost the moment they were standing.

"We forgot Drey."

Cro was concerned, already he was trying to make sure that whatever strange spell he had tried to do using Walter was slowing down Rye long enough for him to locate him and read what was going on. Rye was in pain, Cro was interested in how that had occurred. But having discerned that Rye was not in pursuit for the moment he turned to address Walters' inquiry.

"He would've found us, I'm sorry master."

Walter was about to shake some sense into the old man but was stopped by the use of the word he was supposed to be using. Cro was speaking English like Drey, the orb was back on the dining table in the castle. Walter didn't care though, he just wanted to know why Cro was calling him that.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've searched for you for many years now, and always I thought you had been bound until recently. It all makes sense now. When you were bound I was nearing you. But you must've freed yourself or have been rescued, because then I lost your trail."

"Bound? Cro are you some trickster just messing with me?"

Cro wanted to smack Walter for such an accusation, but he settled for letting his eyebrows drop. It was understandable. A moment ago Walter had found out that there was a girl who loved him. And now the wedding was as good as canceled unless one of them figured out how to arrive at the exact moment they had left. But that wouldn't work cause Rye would be right there, angry as ever. And he wouldn't just sit by and let the vows happen even if they did it in secret.

"Walter I don't know why Rye has deserted the order, but he has and he wants you gone, maybe me and Drey as well."

"Will he harm her?"

"Possibly, but think about it. If he kills her, he'll have the villagers and the king and queen to deal with. Not to mention the knights, the wizards loyal to the crown, and I'd even go as far to say a neighboring kingdom that might seize the opportunity if he causes divisions among the people of Ando. He'll diminish his strength if he tries anything. But there is another problem. He knows what Drey is to you, and that's not good. Rather than pursue us, he might just wait, bide his time until we get back. And even I can't tell you what traps he might set up, or what he'll have waiting for us. He has the advantage in Ando. But if he pursues us, at least it will be two against one."

"So basically we're at war with a wizard, and we have no clue what strategy he's going to use. He might wait for our return, or be heading towards us this very minute."

"Yes, and now you must make a decision Walter. I can take you to Drey, but Rye might be there and he'll seize that chance to kill or imprison one or both of us. I'm not sure if you're ready to fight. I'd prefer we be on the move for the time being. Rye will recuperate possibly, but he might grow impatient and finally leave Ando to come after us. If he does that, then the odds switch to our favor. It gives us time to train you, and to be ready for him when the encounter finally arrives. One way or another we will have to go back. And we will have to confront him."

"Alright. But if he hurts Drey, this entire endeavor is pointless."

"There are worse things Walter, I've lived through them all."

Walter didn't want to argue with Cro. He was his only friend in Ando besides Drey, and possibly Rye if it turned out he wasn't the foe Cro seemed to think he had become. Second, Cro was old. Maybe he had lost many loved ones in his time. So for now it was only fair that Walter listen to this wizard who obviously held him in high respect. But how or why was still the question egging Walter for every moment. How much of his life had already played out? Next thing you know he'd have some soldiers arresting him for some deed he had yet to commit from his perspective. That just didn't seem fair. And yet if it was true then he had a history with Cro that hadn't yet played itself out.

"Cro how do you know me?"

"I'd love to tell you master, but I think it's best to let it play out the way you did for me."

Walter wanted to ask more, but he knew that the more he knew, the less likely that the events would play out the way they should. Decisions needed to be based on the present situation, only the present wasn't always that for someone. Even if Walter found some way to go back, Rye had been the one who had brought him here. So eliminating him in the past was not an option. That was an annoying paradox. How was he supposed to beat Rye if he couldn't get him at his absolute weakest? It'd be so easy to get him in infancy, but then he'd never meet Drey, and he'd be back at his desk. Like other times Walter wondered if the dream was gonna dash his hopes by finally ending by him waking. It would all be in his head. And it would be a supreme disappointment all because it was only existent in the realm where artists and dreamers were the masters. And yet Walter did dream. He dreamed of finding Drey, keeping her safe, even if it meant it would take a hundred years to get there. So his love was gonna be tested? Fine! Walter in front of Cro got to his knees and said he would follow. Cro raised Walter from the ground and embraced him. Walter had done this when Cro had promised to teach him. This time it was Cro who was happy. Because now he knew what he had waited all these years to do. Why he had been at the academy, and why he had been separated so long from the man who had saved him all those years ago. He was going to teach him the mystic arts. And then at some unknown time past or future depending on perspective, Walter would do the same for him.

"We have to get going because Rye might choose pursuit instead of lying in wait. I'm wagering we'll get a little of both cause he gets bored easily."

"Where are we?"

"Mutton Hollow. It's outside the kingdom boundaries, a place where giants dwell. They used to invade from time to time but we've cooked up some ways to keep them in this vicinity."

"Let me guess, feeding them sheep?"

"As a matter of fact yes, we thought it was a great idea until they got tired of the mutton. Now we use spells, ones that make them forget what they ate the night before. It seems to be working quite well. They've been eaten mutton for years, and we haven't had an incident yet. Should that occur maybe we'll switch to pork."

"How'd the giants come to be?"

"They say a wizard who delved into enlargement magic got entangled in a spell that made him or his victim stay big. When he got hungry he started to cause problems. And to resolve the problem, he and the few who had been unfortunate enough to become giants had to be moved out of the kingdom to reduce damage. It was an awful mess, and it caused heartache for the families who now had enormous relatives. The spell even now passes on to their children. They can't learn magic, but they have a knack for smelling it, and it takes some pretty crafty spells to trick a giant."

"Did this wizard have a name?"

"It is lost to history, but I did see giants for the first time when I was a kid. And there weren't such stories before then when I asked the elderly folk. But enough chit chat. We are here because our aura will be masked by the enormous ones the giants carry. We hopefully wont bump into any. Just avoid the sheep and we should be ok. At least until dinner time, which wont be a long wait at all."

"So no training today?"

"Not until we find a temporary place to hide and begin your service training, for now just listen to the hollow and gather up the needs of this place."

Walter and Cro walked for quite some time. Traveling around hills to avoid going uphill and into the giants' realm. The thunder Walter heard at one point turned out to be a giants' burp. That was a relief because it meant he was full. Cro managed to get them some mutton from off one of their cooking sites. The hardest part was waiting for the cook to sleep cause they didn't have dinner until sundown. But it was a relief to eat after so much walking. Cro led them deep into a forest. The giants wouldn't go here often, so it was an ideal place for the moment. Walter found himself sleeping against a tree across from Cro. He wanted to think about Drey, but Cro had warned that Rye might be on the look out and would eagerly wait for any chance to learn their whereabouts by using the astral plane. So Walter went to sleep anxious to really start his training tomorrow. He'd learn the spells necessary to visit Drey, and the ones to stop Rye from hurting anyone if that was what he was doing.

Walter listened a little before passing out. To the wind, the tree, even the ground. It was all eager to talk to Walter. But why? Was this place so horrible? No! It wanted to be useful, it was lonely. The giants made things lively but this place was begging like Walter had all those years for a chance to be something more. Was that how it worked? You wished for something to happen, and if you waited long enough it would finally occur? That seemed to be what was happening. Drey had wanted Walter back, Cro had wanted to find his master. Rye had wanted some amusement, and Walter had wanted something to happen that would at least for a brief period make him believe he wasn't just ordinary, mediocre, like everyone else. All of these things had seemed like forever in getting to their petitioners. But now it was all happening in an instant. All the wishes, prayers, requests were being granted all at once. Walter wondered if maybe the reason these magical things were happening was because so many people had wished for different things, all of which could be provided by the same incident. It seemed impossible. Different requests always got in the way of each other. Conflicts of interests was always what sparked contention, war, and debate. And yet maybe it was possible to please everyone. Once ever so often something would happen that didn't just please one person and despair the rest. Was this that moment? If it was, Walter then had a responsibility to carry out the desires of others since he was finally getting his fair share of the wealth. As Walter decided that he would grant the wishes of this place if only to see Drey one last time, he finally let exhaustion claim his mind as it already had his body. The tree was a little rough on Walters' head, but almost as if hearing his complaint. Moss grew around the spot and Walters' comfort increased a bit.

Ch. 8 Hide and Seek

Back in Ando Rye and the villagers were taking in the awkward scene of free fish from heaven. The villagers busied at collecting the fish so it didn't go to waste. Rye was pleased by this because he knew he had to find the piece of ground where Cro had displaced himself. There would be traces of magic there, and given enough time he could enchant the area to duplicate the last spell performed there. It was an easy spell, the problem was you had to be certain of the runes used and the thoughts of the person who had performed the spell. Otherwise the spell would look for the next best thing, and you'd either find yourself in a heap of trouble, or have a bunch of onlookers laughing at you, especially other wizards.

Magic pranks were all the rage at one point, but Rye had put an end to most of them. Well not really Rye because he had tried to pull one not two days ago and look at what had happened? Rye took an oath that he would never let his desire for amusement ever get the better of him again. The rectifying of this situation would be the one exception because it needed to be done. From now on he would do things efficiently. No more unnecessary wastes of magic. If nobody could learn from him tough luck. He'd cast spells on himself and learn the counter spells if things really got so melancholy. Ryes' oath seemed to be a good one. He'd learn from his one mistake and never make another one. And yet somewhere Rye was getting over the humiliation and secretly amused that someone had finally pressured him to the point where he was actually having to exert himself. He just hoped it would last a week like he hoped. He'd be at full strength, and there'd be two wizards that he could do battle with. One who had been off limits due to his status. But that didn't matter once Rye got rid of him. And then there was the unpredictable one. It would be quite educational. Or it would be a bust cause there was the chance that Walter wouldn't learn beyond what he already had. He'd fall into a textbook situation with a textbook spell, and it would just be a simple matter of re-strengthening the spell each week so Walter never escaped the spell or the effects it caused. Rye decided a week wasn't that long anyway. In seven days he would get his little scrimmage.

While he waited was the only question left now. Cro and Walter were gone. Drey would have to have a satisfactory answer for their absence. The king and queen would certainly be back any moment. They would have to be as convinced as Drey, or she would ruin everything. Drey was the key. Get her comfortable. Make her think she has it under control. Put Rye as Cros' temporary replacement. Feed her ideas and make them look like her own. Walter is off training with Cro. And there was a good chance that wasn't far from the truth. They said they'd be back in a week. If not I'll go in search of them and return swiftly. Rye would gain favor in all these pursuits. And then there was the tricky business of getting rid of them. Of course! The runes from Yuessay. Rye chuckled at how everything was set up for the best. He'd learn the runes, revive while he waited for Cro and Walter. And if they showed up in an hour, or a week as he anticipated then they'd be right back where he had wanted them only a minute ago. Rye decided to get down to business. First the princess, the runes next. No actually the king and queen first. Delay them, one less thing to worry about. Rye made sure no one detected him as he returned to his house. Inside magnified by the power of his one of three outposts, Rye located the king and queen. Almost done circling the kingdom. They'd be back in less than a day. Luckily for Rye he found them in their sleep. Only the escort was awake. Oh what to do? Murder or kidnap would cause a ruckus. Taking a detour might agitate them, but it would also be a viable excuse for them and Drey. But how to postpone them for another week? Bandits? Monsters? Oh the possibilities were endless. Rye should've been a storyteller. In the end Rye had a toss up between illness and some urgent emergency in the nearby vicinity where the king and queen were. But technically illness was one of those. The village would see to it that the king and queen were treated, they'd get better, come home completely assured that the kingdom was doing great, as was the medicine available to them if they ever set out again.

Rye set to work making a spell of disease. Making sure it didn't start with the king and queen. That would be bad public relations. The villagers would head here if such a thing occurred. And worse, the wizards at the academy were not all stupid. They'd analyze the illness and come to the conclusion that it was magic to some degree. Rye almost enchanted one of the fish outside, but that would become a plague and Rye didn't want to have to clean that mess up, since he knew the princess would request it. Something already present, just amplify it to something a little more serious. It would be less magical as well since the disease would be real. Rye had wasted enough magic without the added knowledge that he was going need a whole lot more for a whole list of things. So he left the house again. Watching for falling objects this time. He circled the village in the hopes of finding someone stricken with an ailment. Stomach trouble, bowel movements. It had to be something that would take a while to recover from, especially without magic. The local town the king and queen were resting at would certainly send for someone if it didn't clear up after three days. He just hoped it wouldn't be him. The irony would be he would have to treat yet another predicament he had caused. And just after vowing to never have to undo one of his mistakes again. But Rye couldn't seem to find anyone unless he used a locater spell. Rye finally couldn't keep searching and used it. He used one of his potions to help compensate for the loss.

He found a child with the measles. Even if the royals had it before, this version was going to be slightly different. He'd change the color of the spots to a dark shade of yellow. Make them tickle instead of itch. Oh the local physician would be stumped by this new ailment. And best of all, it would only spread to people who tried to treat it. Rye decided on no name for it, the locals would do that for him. He carefully engraved the runes around the sample he had taken from the child. The childs' parents had been out helping clear up the fish. The child had been sleeping as soundly as the king and queen were miles away. When Rye finished he had made quite a spell. It would travel to the designated location to the exact room. Latch onto the biggest living thing available and start to wear off after five days. Rye borrowed the magic stored in his wand for this spell. And sure enough, the disease hit its targets without fail. Rye only concentrated long enough to be sure the king and queen were giggling from the sickness that was going to make it a quite restless night from that time forward.

Finally, Rye could go deal with Princess Drey. But Rye was exhausted. He'd used up a potion and some of his wands' impressive power. No, tomorrow, tonight the sleep was needed. And tomorrow he'd do twice as much service to speed up recovery with his now firmly established week of relief from King Yur and Queen Lain. Rye prepared for a good nights sleep, anticipating a less frustrating few days ahead. Too bad that was when Princess Dreys' garrison knocked on his door and announced he was needed at the palace immediately. Rye hadn't even slept a good five minutes. Rye swore he'd never eat fish again. The whole day had started and ended with fish. And whatever it was Drey wanted, if it so much as hinted of Walter and Cro. Then Rye was not gonna stick around for long. He'd go to them, cause the world was doing a pretty fine job of slowing him down without them being around. Rye dressed himself and headed back to the castle. Hoping that Drey was requesting he go find Cro and Walter. He'd do it with more pleasure than all the other errands he had performed combined. I never liked fishing with a rod that much anyway. I think I'll take up spear fishing when this is all over.

Ch. 9 Level Four

Cro and Walter woke refreshed by a morning breeze that batted a few leaves at their faces. There was still a portion of mutton left from yesterdays creeping. And Cro and Walter finished the contents of Cros' gourd. Upon finishing Cro gave the gourd to Walter. A gift? No, Cro instructed Walter to go find water. Walter asked how, and Cro told him to listen and obey. Walter understood. This was training. His first real exercise excluding the ring. That had been easy cause Walters' magic wanted it to occur. But this was different. Part of him would be thirsty at some point, and the other part would be less willing to exert effort when there was Cro around. Cro assured Walter he'd keep an eye on him, but self-reliance was a wizards' best friend. You can't help others till you help yourself. Walter was humble about it. Magic he had, but he still had to jump through the same hoops as every student. Listening was step one. Service was two. And Cro was nice enough to let him kill two birds with one stone. Or he was just trying to speed up the training cause Rye might show up today and Walter would be useless unless he used every hour productively. Walter started to sprint but was halted by Cro.

"It's harder to listen when you're moving. Learn to hold still or you'll go in circles."

Walter complied, he listened to the ground, water was there. He also caught faint instances of it in the air. Follow it, it would gather at some point. Walter began walking with his eyes closed. Cro smiled from a distance, his student was doing well. The academy would take too long. Repetition, memorization, they were important. But field experience was a trump card, and there'd be plenty of routine and memory involved in it anyway. Why didn't all students have a mentor and in the field training? You couldn't always rush learning, and yet Cro realized that was what he was attempting. Still, Cro had found a good place to train for a week. It was a shame they would have to leave in a few days. The giants wouldn't sniff them out in a day or two, but if they lingered too long, they'd know they had visitors. And there was no telling if Rye had fallen for his decoy yet, and was plowing forward trying to find them.

Cro got impatient when Walter didn't come back for an hour. Must've lost the scent, or worse fell into a pit. Cro began searching for Walter. It was funny for Cro. He had Walter looking for a stream, and Walter had him looking for Walter. This reminded Cro of old times. Master and servant were one and the same. Both were teaching the other, the two always got closer together until there was really no difference except age. And that didn't really matter. Because now Walter was young and Cro was old. Soon it would be reversed, though technically it already had been that way for Cro. It was strange teaching the same lesson that Walter had taught Cro all that time ago. Cro had been hesitant to obey back then. And Walter had said it was fine and that Cro could go to the academy and learn it the slow easy way. How was it easy if it was slower? Cro found out quickly and had to spend a whole month looking for Walter. When he had finally found him he couldn't bear how disrespectful he had been and promised to never complain even if Walter did. That month Cro had no choice but to do things the harder but easy way. It would have been easier to not apologize to Walter and just stay with a class. But the class had to pace itself for the other students, and Cro was restless being held back. He tried helping the other students get good, but they settled for the books and scripted lectures of the teacher. Cro realized that Walter was not being cruel, he was trying to show Cro what was really important. And Cro found that Walter wasn't allowed to go easy on him, because then Cro would never be anything else than a stray cat begging for food. Walter taught Cro the difference between a hunter and a bottom feeder. Turned out the only difference was one was good at both strategies.

Cro couldn't find anyone who knew Walter at all. That was strange. Where was Walter from? Who were his relatives? The academy dismissed the existence of a wandering wizard in the forest. But Cro knew a young man in a white shirt and strange brown pants had saved him from drowning in the very same river Walter was supposed to be walking towards right now. Cro had heard the rumors about giants, and wanted to see one. He had walked fifty feet closer each day and back getting nearer the borders until finally he was sure he was in Mutton Hollow or close by. Cros' parents had told him to stay away, but Cro had problems holding still, even in class where they punished you into it. When Cro started going uphill on his walks he knew he was being stupid. But one peek was all he wanted. On that fateful day Cro had wandered a little off his strait course, and sure enough found a giant walking further up the mountain. His back was to Cro so Cro assumed he'd be safe. It was when the giant turned around to swat an eagle who was trying to protect its' nest that the giant was too close to that Cro got scared and began running. Downhill but not quite on the trail and Cro soon wound up in the woods very scared. Cro didn't sob because he was afraid of drawing other terrors out of their hiding place.

Cro heard something in the woods but didn't stay to have a look. He sprinted towards a river hoping somehow he'd follow it back to the village. When Cro did turn his head to see if he was being pursued, he tripped and fell into the river, which was much deeper than Cro could stand, and much wilder than Cro could swim. For a few moments Cro tried his best to stay afloat. He'd swum before, but this water was churning and spitting him out. That was when something had fished Cro up to the surface and got him to cling to an odd pair of brown pants that was somehow floating in the water and keeping them afloat. Eventually the young man grabbed a rock at the bank and pulled him and the pants out of the water. Cro gasped and when he got up found the rescuer had replaced his soaked pants back on. Cro said thanks a little too quickly and asked if he knew where the village in Ando was. The stranger didn't speak, instead he closed his eyes and became still. A moment later he told Cro the town was on the other side of the river. Cro was frightened again, He'd have to go through giant country to get home.

That was what Cro thought until his rescuer put his hands on a tree. The tree fell over the river making a bridge. Impossible? The tree wasn't old or dead. The man extended a hand to Cro and Cro slowly walked across the trunk. It wasn't scary because if he fell again this guy had already saved him once. Cro soon recognized the path he had taken enough times to remember. But then he realized that the stranger was heading back into the forest.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"The tree helped me when I asked, so now I have to go help him and the rest of the forest out."

Strange words, what kind of guy served trees? The man uncorked a gourd, filled it from the stream and began watering all the trees in the forest. Cro watched for a while and then said thanks once again and left. But he thought about it a lot when he got home soaked and relayed the tale to his parents. They scolded him for wandering off, and again for not thanking his rescuer by inviting him to dinner. Cro asked if he could thank him tomorrow. And surprisingly the answer was no. He was not to go back into the forest alone ever again.

Eventually the stranger had showed up in town a few days later and took up residence. His spells were impressive, and most of them went without mention for days. He never gave out his name, and could never be found even by the academy wizards who were sent to find him. He always seemed to not be home when someone visited the house he had acquired. Turned out his house always changed location or there was no house. Only Cro knew where he had seen him, and he wasn't allowed to go there. The strange man did come to the academy one time to ask about yellow, orange, and red wizards, and was rudely dismissed as an outsider who had no business there according to one of Cros' peers. Cro had eyed him as he headed to class, and for some reason skipped class to ask the stranger his name and if he would teach him. Cro knew he'd get scolded, but that would happen anyway if he wasn't late. The man said he'd tell his name if Cro found them a place where they wouldn't be disturbed that was in the academy grounds. That was easy. On the playing field where duels were held.

The man introduced himself as Walter and told Cro the first lesson was listening. Cro knew this and began quoting passages from his book. As if annoyed Walter knocked him to the ground with a burst of wind. Cro complained and Walter cut him off.

"If you were listening you would've known I wasn't listening and preparing to attack."

Cro was angry and prepared to throw his own batch of spells at this rescuer now turned assaulter. He tried a tongue binder but Walter put up a hand and made it fly back at Cro. Now Cro couldn't talk. A moment later Walter undid Cros' binding for him cause he was taking too long trying to undo it. Next Cro tried his best spell, a flame one. He was proud when it hit Walter, but his eyes widened when he saw Walter pick it off his burning shirt and play with it in his right hand. The flame vanished, and Walters' shirt mended itself.

"Ok I'm listening."

Walter smiled and instructed Cro to catch a fish.

"Why?"

"Fine don't listen."

Walter marched away while the group of wizards who had witnessed the duel were whispering among themselves about what Walter had done. He had turned one spell on its master and made the other one vanish, unless he had somehow converted it into the magic that had fixed his odd but now mended shirt. They were about to stop Walter and have him instruct them but he was now in an argument with Cro. When Cro was told to do things the slow and easy way, Cro was so mad that he tried one more spell, displacement. He shouldn't have used it cause it was a green class spell, but Cro had managed to find a textbook version that had worked a few times when he practiced. As if expecting it, Walter summoned a tree branch from a nearby tree. It broke off and flew into Walters' left hand. The entire field was watching now as Walter channeled the spell into the makeshift staff, modified it, and then said goodbye to Cro with a bow and disappeared.

Nobody bothered Cro after that. Not only had he disrespected a wizard who clearly had advanced training. But had blown his one chance to learn from him. The story became common place and many wizards went in search of the wizard who had beaten Cro. The tree with the missing branch was reverenced on the field. And through it all the stories excited the academy students, all except Cro who was bowed down with guilt. That led up to Cro telling his parents he was going to apologize to his rescuer even if he died. His parents grounded him of course. But in his room Cro studied. He listened like he had been bullheaded not to do. Soon he could hear. The forest was happy and other times it called out for help. Cro was certain Walter was there when it was happy, and the forest missed him when he left. So Cro bided his time, and eventually did detect an opportune moment to leave the house and go to the forest. Cro took the familiar route then turned so he'd find the tree over the river. He found it, but Walter wasn't there. He sat down and listened again. Walter was somewhere, but not here. He had been here recently and had moved on. Cro decided he would come back here each night and mimic what Walter had been doing, watering the trees. So for thirty restless days Cro practiced listening and helping. By the end Cro no longer needed the textbooks that were pointless during class, and he definitely didn't even need to be at the academy. Cro even got his green tunic waiting for Walter. It was Cro who was practicing with the elements when Walter finally appeared in the forest by the tree over the river. Cro apologized and took off his green tunic as if that would help.

"Took you long enough. Let's begin level four."

Cro was shocked, he didn't even know what the fourth step was. And here he was now already going to learn it. As if repenting for the third time, Cro blurted out.

"I'm really listening this time."

"Good, hurry and get the fish."

Cro sprinted before Walter told him to slow down. Cro was happy though.

Ch. 10 Five, Six, and Seven.

When Cro had finally found Walter he was watering trees with the gourd. When he noticed Cro he refilled the gourd and returned it to him. Cro was embarrassed. Walter had mastered listening and service and the day had just begun. Cros' past dwarfed in comparison and he realized that his master may very well not be so thick headed that he wouldn't listen and obey Cro long enough to surpass him. So Cro discussed elements with Walter. It went quickly because the vicinity had water, earth, and air in abundance.

But then Cro realized a dilemma. Walter didn't know the Ando runes. He knew his runes from home, but which should he use? Cro explained the problem to Walter who replied he would learn the Ando runes first. Then at some future point use the runes of his world should the need arise. Cro knew it was better for Walter to learn his own runes first. But then Rye would have an advantage of having his own language to command. If Walter used runes he understood, he would learn fast, but not knowing Ando gave Rye just as much an edge. If he learned Andoish, Rye would have a slight advantage in spells. But Walter would given time master two languages instead of one, and be all the more powerful than Rye who would still be guessing at Walters' runes from his land.

But Walter insisted he could do it. He asked Cro how many runes there were. Cro replied thirty.

"Let's learn four of them today then. Tomorrow five, and I'll have them all down before the week is over."

Cro couldn't believe how arrogant Walter was being. Except Walter clarified.

"I mean know their original meanings of course and their pronunciations. That's all I can hope to accomplish. The creative meanings and such will have to wait. But if I don't then I wont be able to do magic efficiently. Just a few outbursts that will drain me up and Rye will just have to wait patiently."

Cro was amazed that Walter understood how complicated using words with magic was. Thought magic was weak, and didn't require much energy. Word magic was draining. And when it came down to hands, potions, runes, and rituals, you got exhausted and it would be days before you do try again. But Cro thought about it. If Walter could learn thirty runes in a week. Then he'd be able to do thought and word magic at least. It was worth it. Rune circles, and long term enchantments took too long anyway. Rye might resort to them but then Cro could do the honors and finish him in a fatigued state. If Walter could master thought and word magic, he'd slow down Rye plenty for Cro. With Walter looking strait at him, Cro began drawing the runes in the ground.

If Walter understood the runes, Cro couldn't tell. He was just bothered when Walter guessed the meanings of the runes for earth, water. How did he know that? Walter said there was a language no one knew perfectly in his world that used these symbols. Coincidentally he had learned them playing a game of all things. That was strange to Cro. What kind of game had you learn symbols and codes? Didn't matter, Walter had just learned two runes or rather it was review for him. Let's just hope there would be more of that by lunch time. The third rune was the protection one. Walter said it was a symbol for an eye and the numerical symbol for nothing in his language. It made sense. The eye watched over everything. And any spell with this rune would either be for locating or protecting something. This was good, Walter could at least learn two spells by the end of the day. When Cro pointed out the P shaped rune represented joy. Walter was excited because he asked if he could put emotions into the rune. When Cro replied yes, Walter hastily wrote it down in the ground. Grass started growing in the rune he had drawn on the ground. Cro told Walter to wait a little longer and just learn O. Walter went a step ahead and wrote the upside down V shaped rune for water with the protection rune, and sure enough the water from the river circled around Walter as a protective shield. Cro was impressed. He finally could not contain himself. Walter was just a natural at this.

"Well done. But promise you wont use more than two runes till tomorrow"

Cro hadn't been able to learn this fast with Walter and he speculated why now. It was probably because Walter didn't know all the runes, he knew a few, and look what he had achieved with them. Things kept moving along as Walter now tried a T shaped earth rune out with the protection one, and sure enough the earth had built a wall around Walter. Cro decided me might as well teach Walter all the spells that used one or two runes. Or enough of them that Rye would get annoyed because while it was easy to bat away a few. Walter could throw hundreds of them, and some would inevitably hit Rye and beat him down. Of course Cro realized they couldn't do that yet. Level four was protection. You learned one rune and learned that it was the most important one. Magic was used to protect, all other used were indirectly related to this one ideal. If Walter didn't learn protection, than he couldn't learn defense and offense, which were the fifth and sixth stages. All magic fit into categories, but the triangle of power was kept in check by these complimentary forces that all formed a triangle of protection around the user.

Cro saw Walter wanted to try something other than earth and water so he drew the N shaped rune in the ground for air, but it also applied to anything in the air like rain and snow. Walter liked this one and put up a wind barrier first, then called down rain. His experiment worked. It was raining alright, but Walter wasn't getting wet. Cro knew that as long as Walter was careful and experimented, each day he'd learn a new spell. More like four or five. In a mere year he would have more spells than he could count if he did it every day. Cro realized that Rye would not allow this to happen and decided on a goal right there. Walter needed to learn at least fifty spells. Yes fifty. It would be a dangerous week, and Cro would have to trust Walter to try spells with three to four runes. But fifty spells was feasible enough to defeat Rye. Rye had crafty spells, but given time Walter would figure ways around them, or his massive magic store would force a way out.

That's when Cro realized he was letting Walter drain himself just a tad too much. He halted Walters' playtime and told him they would do some service. Walter asked for five more minutes, but Cro knew he wouldn't stop at that so he made the offer Walter would never refuse.

"Do exactly as I say for the next eight hours and I'll teach you how to visit Drey."

It worked, Walter got up from the ground and said he'd do it if he taught him one of the runes to do it right there. Cro drew an R shaped rune into the ground and said it was travel. Now Walter knew six runes. Water, earth, air, joy, protection, travel. Those could be used in countless ways. All revolving around protection. No attacking spells would be achieved by these runes. And if he showed control, then he could move on to defense. Then it would actually be possible to visit Drey without being detected or in danger if Rye was laying a trap. Cro had a busy eight hours ahead of him. But he smirked cause it was lunch time and said what he had been waiting decades to say to Walter.

"Go get us two fish."

Walter smiled and to Cros' surprise wrote the runes for travel and water by the stream. The waters course was altered and Walter fetched out two fish flapping in the area that was once occupied by stream water. Cro almost threw a fire spell at Walter, but that would've been pointless. He had just hoped Walter would make some of the same mistakes he had. He's not young you fool. He's really much older than he looks remember. Oh well, why am I complaining? Eventually this week will be over and I can rest after that. Cro used the fire spell meant for Walter on some wood to cook the fish instead. Walter almost asked what the rune for fire was but Cro gave him a glare, and Walter put his fish over the fire and waited for it to cook.

Ch. 11 New Plan

As Rye entered the castle, he noticed Drey was wearing a much finer outfit than he had ever seen her wear. What was the occasion? Didn't matter, maybe she had just changed? Rye was more concerned about what she was about to have him do in regards to Walter and Cro. If he was sent on a search for them, then he would've gotten rid of the second of his three obstacles. And best of all, obstacle two would be pushing him to the third and final one. Dreys' first question came as no surprise, Rye had had just enough time to practice for this.

"Rye, Cro and Walter disappeared from the castle."

"Shall I locate them?"

"How will you do that?"

That was a valid question. Rye had not found the circle of dirt where Cro and Walter had vanished. Partially because moments before there had been fish all over the ground, and he had been called to the palace before he could search the grounds by the castle. Rye also then realized that he was gonna be lower on magic cause now he wasn't getting some much needed sleep. Rye soon realized that the best plan was no plan. If he went searching if Drey suggested it, he'd deplete more power. And if he stuck around not looking. Drey would get restless and worry. Rye needed a diversion. Something to buy him the time he needed to rest and recover. The king and queen were out of action for the time being. But there were still Drey who was bait, and Cro and Walter who could be anywhere doing anything. He hoped they had problems wherever they were cause he hated being in Ando for the first time in ever. He needed a distraction that didn't involve magic or his services. The fish problem wasn't quite dealt with yet so Rye tried using that.

"I noticed there are fish everywhere, is Walter behind it?"

"I don't know, but the villagers are dealing with it, and I'm worried that magic was involved. Could you research this incident and bring me word on what you find."

Perfect! thought Rye. I'll pretend to research the fish incident, but in reality be replenishing and researching the runes of Walters' world. Rye bowed and said he would be surveying the landscape to see if there were any spies or dark wizards in the area that had caused the downpour. Drey asked if he'd like the guards to go with him. Rye assured her he could conceal himself, and that if he needed help, he would return swiftly. With that being said, Rye was overjoyed to have an excuse to not be around.

Rye didn't go home, he had the scribbled sheet of runes with him, and had no intention of going home where interruptions of all sorts were sure to continue. Rye went to the academy. He loathed how he was going to get bothered there for sure by some rival student. But he had no choice, it was a place where he could regenerate faster, and even more important he could hide there in the library for quite some time. The moment he stepped on the grounds, Rye could feel the energy flowing into him. The books of countless mages, the hours of practice on the field. And the millions of spells that had been performed in the buildings. This was the place to be in his weakened state. Walter had kept him away from here too long. Sure Cro suggested going into the forests and hills and drawing strength there, but Rye was done with Cro. Cro had tried to teach him, and always always Cro talked about his master. Whoever this guy was I really don't care. If he was so powerful why did he abandon you then? Where is he right now? And that was really the question. Ever since the story of the mage who had grabbed a tree branch and vanished had been witnessed, Rye had wanted to know. He admired the legend. The rumors that he had learned magic from the forest, rescued Cro, and then disappeared after putting Cro in his place back in the day. The story had certainly inspired Cro who had been a part of it and had made his way to being headmaster and castle wizard. Rye had the same aspiration but he had not been there. Why hadn't he been trained by this master? If he had, maybe he would've had this situation resolved by now. That was the thought that entered Ryes' mind that got the wheels turning. Research this wizard. Find out everything about him, and if possible locate him and obtain if not steal his power. But if Cro hadn't been able to do it, how was Rye going to? Didn't matter, Rye needed something to do while he replenished. And he wasn't going to search for Cro and Walter until he was at full strength. Let Drey worry, look for him. Hate him when we went as missing as Cro and Walter. Hopefully Cro and Walter would get back first, and she'd vent at them before having just as nasty things to say to Rye.

Rye went to sleep after finding the dormitory and making sure it was an empty one. He didn't want to be found and he certainly was too tired to do any research there and then. So Rye finally relaxed his mind and went to sleep. In the morning there would be no king and queen, no Drey, and no more distractions. Rye would be in the one place where his only obstacle would be any mage dumb enough to challenge him to a duel. He'd steal the fools' magic just so it wouldn't be another waste of time. Rye was certain his troubles were over. And to his content, nothing did occur that night.

Ch. 12 Reunited Again

Walter was soon listening and serving in his everyday step. Each spell practiced followed by a quick pause to read the environment, look for ways to decrease the need for his own magic and use the place around him. If he gave the place what it needed. It responded in turn and filled the vacancies in his spells. Soon Walter was booming with power that was still growing. Cro knew one of the reasons was the anticipation of seeing Drey. The forest could hear Walter screaming about it. And knowing how much power Walter was willing to give, the forest, streams, and mountains all lent him their power. Knowing perfectly well that he was there for them and they were there for him just as he wished to be for this Drey they all soon knew by name. The forest was interested in this Walter and his Drey. And soon the forests and mountains were chatting to the neighboring lands telling them about it. The neighboring lands wondered about this and became excited. Every rock, breeze, and drop of water wanted to be a part of this Walter and his quest to get back to her and protect her. By doing so they would be indirectly protecting themselves and making things better for the entire land. Cro soon realized how loud the forest was with the trees, blades of grass, and even the chatting of birds and insects was about Walter. Cro was entranced by it all. Still, Walter was now working with elements and protection, and it was hard work even for a natural like Walter. Walter had coaxed Cro into teaching him the K shaped fire rune that third day. And soon the fish shaped rune for possession followed. The hour glass shaped rune for day and night was next and the X shaped rune for enhancement. Cro stopped that day because ten runes was adequate for the training. Walter was not permitted to use the fire rune, but he did practice with the others, and soon even Cro was wondering if he should be worried about Rye at all. Walter was learning too quickly and Cro wanted to know why. Not because he was jealous. But maybe it had to do with something he wasn't thinking about.

"Walter are you doing anything to the spells?"

Walter looked up and had the look of shame a child has when he had stolen something and didn't want to confess it. Well Cro would go easy on him depending on the answer.

"I was just wondering if I could use the runes from home."

Cro was shocked. Was Walter serious? He had already learned a third of the Ando runes, and was already thinking about adding twenty six additional runes to the arsenal. Cro had to test this. He had had little time to study all the runes Walter had given them. But he already knew they were potent, even if they weren't really meant for magic. The runes had been designed for trade, making money, it was depressing for Cro to be honest. He almost wanted to laugh at the idea that Walter had written these down and somehow they had found an intricate way to get him here by finding Ryes' summoning. But Cro also knew that some of them had powers that even Andoish didn't have. Especially L, J, and Z. A, B, and C were pretty powerful, but they served the same purpose as the X rune. And Walters' X rune had a completely different meaning that Cro didn't even want to start guessing. D was the fish rune. The writers had gotten too lazy to draw it in detail. P, U, and Y baffled Cro. They were all the same rune. Why would a language have additional runes that meant the same thing? Well possibly it was that Walters' language was laced with runes from many other languages. Cro knew a language for trade didn't need that many runes. Numbers yes, but you only needed five for that and Walters' language had ten. Coincidentally the numeric rune for zero was the protection rune in both their languages.

That must be it Cro thought. Walter is going to eventually master fifty six runes, and how to use them not separately, but together to do magic. How Walter would teach anyone seemed impossible, or it was. Cro had learned the Andoish runes only, back when Walter was his teacher they had only done magic with them. However Cro suddenly remembered how badly Walter spoke Andoish. The time he had spent with Cro had fixed that. Even now Walters' Andoish was awful, but Cro spoke English and Andoish together with Walter, and no one else. Cro had gotten Walter to teach him English near the end of their time together, that was when Walter had vanished without saying good-bye. But Walter had taken great care to teach Cro the language of his mysterious land. Walter had great difficulty describing it to him. But Cro had listened and secretly hoped that he could visit it one day. Walter had forbidden it saying that Cro would be killed the moment he was found out there. Walter could live without using magic, but Cro would slip up for sure. That was his excuse. Now after seeing Walter, Cro knew Walter wouldn't live without magic either. He was born to use it, made to use it. Cro then realized that he had to spend at least some time getting Walter to learn Andoish. Walter was good enough with magic runes and how to use them. But if he was going to stay in Ando he'd have to learn Andoish. Otherwise start a cult gathering of English speakers. But that wouldn't work cause eventually even the English wouldn't be the same. It would become a dead language very fast. For all Cro knew, his English was completely incoherent to people in Walters' land. No, Andoish had to be learned by Walter. It would take years, but the learning had to start now. Or else the young Cro wouldn't even understand Walter when he met him for the first time.

Cro was getting a massive headache thinking about all this. But he decided to teach Walter stage five now. Defensive magic. This was more important than offensive because defensive magic was way more powerful, and unlike offensive magic it could use an enemies' magic against him by deflecting it or redirecting it. That was where Cros' lessons would end. Even now Cro only had begun to grasp offensive magic with his yellow tunic status. And Cros' only clue as to what level seven was were legends he had been chasing. But if anybody could figure it out, Walter could. He'd try to teach Walter defensive magic in two days, and try to start teaching offensive magic. But Walter was more likely to teach Cro. It was such a short period of time, but so had been the time he'd spent with Walter in the good old days. Cro wasn't sure about the future because a lot of it had already happened for him in fragments. Walter would live the entire story. Knowing every character and in between quest. Cro just hoped that Walter would tell him before he disappeared again. Of course he couldn't because it hadn't happened to him yet. Cros' only prayer was to wait for Walter to live through it all, and somehow find him before he was on his deathbed. Just one more time with old Walter was Cros' desire.

Cro spent a good deal of time on defensive magic because most wizards like Rye didn't care much for it. They always tried to skip it and get to offensive spells. That was why Rye was still a green. Knowing the advanced spells wasn't good enough to advance. You always had to beat a color class to move up in the colors. Of course if you lost you moved down. So given enough time, your tunic changed less and less. Cro had never lost a duel except with Walter, and that was back when he was an Indigo. And only because the color status had been invented after that event. When Cro finally beat the former headmaster and took his spot, the academy was shocked and thrilled. Shocked because Cro had spent a lot of time out of class not studying, looking for his legendary master. And thrilled that the wizard who had experienced the adventure was now the head wizard of the academy who would now advise and protect the royal family. Cro didn't stop there though, he wanted to keep searching for Walter and so sometimes he lost on purpose so that he could go off on his travels. Eventually this had to stop cause everyone knew he was holding back. It was dishonorable to give false confidence to an aspiring wizard. The academy heads even used the excuse that Cros' so-called master would be ashamed of him for that. That had the effect they wanted. Cro no longer faked injury. He won the duels without fail. And soon he was stuck as headmaster and castle wizard.

Walter liked defensive magic oddly enough. He found uses for the ten runes quickly, and eventually Cro even threw in the luck rune that was shaped like an S that had been sliced in half. Walter used it too much, and it made all his spells more powerful. But Cro warned Walter that more runes meant more magic drain. If he didn't need so much magic, it was wise to avoid big spells. That made sense to Walter. He didn't want to use up too much magic, cause he had to save up enough to see Drey in a few days. Cro was reminded that his student had the worlds' greatest motivator pushing him, and the best teacher in the realm, who oddly enough was just teaching him stuff he'd learned from him. For once Cro really believed that he would get his wish and get to see what had happened to Walter. The days flew and Walter spent the last two days learning offensive spells. Cro dueled with him, and of course he won. But by the end of the two days learning offense, Walter was getting used to all the tricks Cro had. And Cro was running out faster than he could invent new spells. They were joys to Cro. If Walter beat him he really could quit his job at the castle and academy and go look for the older Walter. Unless the only way to do that was stick around with this Walter. The last thing Cro taught Walter was that there was a legendary seventh level of magic, that no one of present day had ever achieved. Walter asked if Cro knew anything that might be the seventh principal. But Cro shook his head, stating that he had tried countless principals, and they all cycled back to the six they had mastered. Walter said if he thought of it he'd tell Cro first. Cro strictly forbade him. Stating he was not to teach anything until he had properly mastered it himself. Walter agreed, and thanked Cro for all he had done. Cro thought the thank you was a little fake so he asked sarcastically.

"I suppose you want to go see Drey now?"

"Will a travel rune and day and night rune do the trick?"

"Only with the proper thoughts and hand movements."

With that said, Cro had Walter kneel, and Cro conjured Ryes' purple tunic he had hoped would be a decoy back and converted it to a tunic of light green. Lighter than Ryes'. He reiterated the lessons Walter had learned and told him he was to accept all duels he was challenged to. And should he defeat an underling he was to educate them in how to do better. Walter agreed to this than asked if he could fight Cro after they saw Drey. Cro said of course and Walter realized his stupid question. Finally Cro handed Walter his staff. The same staff that had once been a tree branch at the academy. That Walter had given Cro the day he had finished his lessons. It was a sad day for Cro because Walter had said he had to leave for a short while. Only Walter had been gone a long time. And even now the only Walter who had come back was a different one. The master raised his master student up, produced a wand from his yellow robe, and in an instant the duo were atop the castle of Ando.

When Cro replaced his wand inside his robe, he then remembered that Walter was far from done learning. He told Walter he'd have to study Andoish loyally everyday. Walter agreed of course. He said it was hard enough having only two people who could speak English. Walter suddenly realized that he had forgotten to ask Cro this and so he did. Cro once again said it wasn't yet time, that now he had to find Drey and tell her he was gonna learn Andoish, and that Rye was after them with malicious intent. Walter also wanted Cros' orb back, and Cro suggested that'd be the wisest course of action to take.

The trapdoor on the roof of the castle was shut from the other side, but Cro had enchanted the door himself and released it without a breath. They climbed down a ladder hastily and slowly made their way down the stairs to the main floor. Cro had them halt halfway so he could sense for traps or worse Rye. Rye was sleeping, somewhere. And apparently he was not gonna wake up anytime soon. That was good, there would be no dueling tonight, just a quick visit to Drey and then Cro honestly had no idea what would happen next. The week had been planned well, and no setbacks or unexpected turns had occurred. Rye had obviously had a productive week if he was sleeping so soundly. Cro wasn't sure what the next hour or day would entail. Didn't matter, he had promised Walter a visit, and wizards had to keep promises or the place would remember it forever and be unwilling to help in the future. Oddly enough the princess was in the dining hall rolling the orb between her two hands. Cro commanded the orb to his hand and handed it to Walter who placed it in his new light green tunic. Drey looked up where the orb had flown and rose with relief.

"I thought you had left, so you only went to change for the wedding."

Cro was a little confused. Wasn't Drey mad they had been gone a week without a leave of absence? She had certainly commanded them not to leave the castle until she married Walter. Had Rye erased her memory of the week? Only one way to find out.

"Princess how long has it been since you saw us?"

"A few hours."

Now Cro was terrified. They were back in Ando but it was still the night they had left. How was that possible? Cro knew it had to be time travel, but Cro had never successfully traveled backwards in time. He eyed Walter and Walter pulled out the explanation. Using water and dirt, Walter had written the runes for night and day along with travel on his hands. But the runes were upside down. Genius thought Cro. The runes would have the same meaning but the opposite effect. Rather than travel forward to the next morning. They would travel backwards to the previous night. Only it was seven previous nights to be precise. So Cro probed Walter some more.

"How did you figure?"

"I promised Drey I'd be back for the wedding, so I tried using the runes, and tried willing it to happen like I did with the ring."

"What ring?"

Drey produced the ring from off her finger and Cro gave it a look. It reverted back to a class ring but quickly went back and Cro shed a tear.

"You've found it Walter. The seventh principal is will. If a wizard desires to make a spell, he will find a way with the available resources to make it so."

It was so obvious. The textbooks and even Cro had hinted at the principal but not realized its importance to the study of magic. Walter was here because he willed it. Rye had added his own will to a rival coming here. Cro willed his master back. And Drey had willed Walter to return. So much will had brought Walter to Ando. And Walters' own will had transformed a ring into its current state. And to top it all, Walter had willed to be back at the designated time Drey had specified, and the magic had found a way with the runes and weeks training to make it occur. Cro was excited as the day Walter taught him to make it rain. His master and he had both figured out the seventh principal. And they would have vast amounts of time to study it and then Cro could find the older Walter, no, all the yellow, orange, and red wizards who were missing from the realm.

Cro wanted to hug Walter, but then realized in his reflective state Walter was already holding hands with Drey and complimenting her dress. She adored his green tunic and said everything was prepared. She ordered Cro to be their protection as they headed towards their destination. A carriage was awaiting them at the south gate of the castle. They were going to travel to a neighboring town to get married. Cro seemed ok with it. Except he was concerned that nobody was at the castle, and the king and queen were obviously late. But that had been Dreys' plan. They were heading to the town her parents should be at, and they would relay what they knew to the king and queen. But they would marry first, then they could resolve what to do with Rye. Cro was surprised at the plan, because it seemed to solve everything. The king and queen would resume the affairs of the kingdom. Drey would be safer with her parents and them than if it were just her and Rye. And with any luck, they would still get the jump on Rye by coming back in a way he'd not expect. It occurred to Cro that the princess was not so helpless and brainless as the court officials all thought. She wanted to discuss things at the meetings, but was always bullied off. Well Cro respected her silent confidence, it was surely showing tonight that she wouldn't be so easy to get rid of, let alone be subdued by Rye without her putting up a decent fight.

The carriage ride was downhill mostly, so they arrived in the town of Peor by the time the sun went down. Cro was still amazed that they had arrived back in Ando when they did. That meant Rye hadn't even accomplished anything yet. Well probably more, just not to the degree that Cro and Walter had. Walter was ready as Cro had hoped. But if they were crafty, they might even go for another week, and delve into the seventh principal. Cro willed this, and was hoping the trees and air were listening, because it was no joke that Rye would do something truly devious the moment he was done sleeping. Since they were almost to Peor. Cro decided there was no harm in probing Rye. It would be risky if Rye caught Cro, but at the same time, Cro was far away, and if Rye chased them right away, Cro and Walter would have the advantage, and Rye would have no bait and hostage in his situation. Cro delved into Ryes' mind. He didn't like what he found.

Cro had the sick feeling that Rye was going to find the information that Cro had sought for years. He would look up all the old legends, and they would entice him to try harder and to do more. Cro had been alone while he studied the old stories. His experience with Walter had been when he was young. And it had caused a brief stir, but it soon died down when Walter didn't come back. But Walter was back now, and it had obviously gotten Rye worked up. Cro began to have theories about everything that had happened. He theorized that Walter or some wizard even further back than Walter had achieved what Walter had that day, or was it a week ago? Either way, the wizard had learned how to travel between times, maybe even worlds. That power was dangerous, and perhaps there were enemies who wanted the power for themselves. Cro just hoped the secret would be hidden from Rye. Cro was sure Drey knew what Walter was just like he knew for certain. Cro had told no one Walters' name. So the day he found out that Drey knew Walter may have been another reason he had been in the castle so long.

Drey and Cro never spoke about Walter. It had all been just a simple chat about old legends, and Cro had mentioned his encounter with the young man in a white shirt and brown pants with many pockets. Drey then relayed another story where she had been rescued by a young man of the same description and he had protected her from a vampire, and even from a storm that would've had her soaked if he had not stood over her while it rained. Drey didn't finish the scene, but Cro guessed that that was when Walter and Drey had both fallen in love with each other. Drey would've wanted to talk more but ended that conversation with the assurance that Walter had promised to come back, and he would. Cros' promise had been less comforting. Walter had just said he had to go, and he might not come back for a while. Cro had begged Walter to take him with him. But Walter told Cro he needed to train more, and at a future day he would understand why he hadn't been able to come. Cro had vowed never to complain to his master, so he had endured all those years, still clinging to the hope that Walter was coming that day, or the next. Drey hoped even more, Cro could see that. He knew she couldn't wait till she was an old woman. But she seemed to believe that even if that happened, Walter had a way to resolve the problem. Cro had the same kind of feeling. Anything was possible if you were with Walter. It was an amazing feeling, and Cro wanted to remember it even if he was old when it happened.

Cro was unsure what to do. If they went back and got Rye now it might all be over. But breaking a promise was dangerous business for a wizard. If Cro broke a vow now he'd be no different than Rye and would start down the path of selfishness. The rules made everything possible. No rules meant chaos. Cro decided he would bet on the promises. Walter had come back hadn't he? So at least even Walter was keeping promises, even if he hadn't made them to Cro and Drey yet. But then of course Walter was about to make vows with Drey. Cro wanted to hear them. He was sure Walter would honor all of them, as would Drey. The difference was, Walter was going to have to convince Drey somewhere in the past. Cro wanted to witness that. But things had already happened for Cro. He shouldn't even contemplate complaining. He had been part of a great story, just not the main character.

So Cro decided that tonight would be a wait and see. He would make sure King Yur and Queen Lain knew the situation and what the danger was. That was when the carriage came to a stop. Walter and Drey were both still awake. They hadn't slept at all. They had spent the whole time talking. Cro wanted to beat himself up for not eavesdropping cause he was so scared that he was gonna be left out of whatever was going to happen next. It turned out that the carriage had stopped because some epidemic had engulfed the town, and was causing problems for the local physician. That was odd. Usually the doctor didn't get sick. But if he was, then there really wasn't anyone who could treat the doctor unless another doctor from out of town showed up. That was very unfortunate. Cro asked if the king and queen were lodged there and then was shocked to find that they were infected too. Drey was concerned until she heard the symptoms. Laughing and yellow sores. Cro then grew suspicious. It wasn't normal for an illness to have neutral effects. Unless the laughing turned out to be insanity. Cro asked Drey and Walter if they wanted to see the king and queen first, then get married. Drey almost didn't, but then cited she had waited three years for this. Her parents could wait till morning. If they were dying then of course she'd postpone, but how horrible could a little laughter be, especially if it cleared up soon after. Cro saw the sense and so they exited the carriage and walked the short distance into town.

They located the town priest and got things underway. The only attendees were the priest, Cro, and the kings' captain who had gotten word of their arrival moments ago. Cro rehearsed to him all that had happened, and how they would return to Ando in the morning. The captain had placed his troops around the church and the place where the king and queen were. Cro put a few choice enchantments of his own. He would've liked to try and treat the king and queen that instant. But Cro knew better and listened for a while. The disease was not dire, just a minor nuisance. The locals had named it jester fever. Probably because the locals were laughing about the disease more than the victims were. When the local doctor had tried to treat it, he had contracted it too. So everybody else had stayed away and only come in to feed the poor victims who almost couldn't swallow their food and water cause they couldn't stop laughing at the soars that tickled. Inflicting pain seemed to dull the effects. And so they would periodically give them a good slap or whack and they always received a thank you for it. In the end they decided to see how long it took to get worse or better.

Walter and Drey enjoyed their wedding even if neither of their parents were there. Walter had been so caught up in the last nine days for him because he was learning magic and wanted to see Drey. It felt like being at camp to be honest. And Walter didn't want to go back just yet. But Drey couldn't contain herself. She had prepared a few things for Walter. Her wedding gift was not a ring but a bracelet. Basically his ring only several sizes larger, the inscription exactly the same as on her ring. She also had a pair of boots for him. Walter had long since abandoned his filthy socks, and had been barefoot for quite some time. He didn't mind, but the gesture was too much for him, and he promised to wear them. Unlike the socks that only got in the way without boots, Walters' pants, shirt and undergarments had mended themselves. Walter had to bathe himself and wash his clothes of course. But it was quite nice to have clothes that didn't wear out. The tunic had done a good job of drawing attention away from his feet. But when Walter put on the boots he realized that the sock fabric had been sewn into it. That was sort of clever. He would only need to remove his shoes now, and hopefully he'd learn how to wash boots at some future date. Dreys' final gift was a wooden flute. Walter was curious but Drey put a finger to his face to shush him and told him he'd understand one day. She promised and kissed him passionately.

Cro heard the basic vows of the priest but when it came time for Walter and Drey to say their own vows, Walter whispered into Dreys' ears. Cro tried to listen but couldn't tell which language Walter was using. Drey teared upon hearing and whispered something back. Again it was unintelligible to Cro. Cro would have to ask in the morning. If they ever told him at all. The priest pronounced a blessing, and the newly weds embraced and kissed for a long time. The captain allowed the guards a peek and they saluted the princess's husband that they all swore to protect. Walter saluted back and in perfect Andoish said.

"I too will protect you."

The guards were quite taken by the gesture and bowed and excused themselves to resume their watch. The couple ate at a local tavern together. Cro stayed close by and for some reason asked Walter if he could produce some more of that Root Beer. Drey laughed lightly at the request, and Walter complied. As it turned out, Cro passed out pints of it to the guards, who liked the drink a lot. Finally it was Dreys' turn to be alone with Walter, which is what she had wanted more than anything. She had worried that Walter would be taken away after their moment in her room. And for the few hours he and Cro had vanished, she feared that she was going to have to wait another three years. She feared that Walter had forgotten the promise. Or more accurately forgotten that Drey had told them that he was going to promise her. It always bothered her that Walter hadn't explained everything to her. Just given her a few lessons and jotted down notes on how to speak English, and told her he would be back. All those years ago Walter had been suffering. He knew their relationship, but Drey knew nothing, and it wasn't till Walter was risking his life all those times to keep her safe that she finally believed his story that they would meet for the first time for him in a few years. It sounded impossible, but Walter did the impossible for her. He had learned magic, learned Andoish, and even now was protecting the realm in ways this young Walter had yet to learn and assume responsibility over. Drey knew she may not get another chance to express her feelings for Walter, that had grown so much when he was gone. And overflowed when he did come back only to see her long enough to leave again to combat some other terror that was threatening the land. Tonight Drey would tell Walter everything. So that when and if he left again, he'd be able to find her again, and somehow convince her younger self of what she was absolutely certain of. That he would always love and protect her, and that she would always believe he loved her. Just as it was inscribed on his bracelet and her ring. One side in Andoish, and the other in English.

Ch. 13 The Promise

The tavern where Walter and Drey had had their wedding dinner was also an inn. Cro assured Walter he would stand watch with the guards, and that he could be alone with Drey till morning when they met up with the king and queen. Walter was contemplating his married status. His family had no idea where he was and what had happened. And even if he did go back, they wouldn't recognize him, and his entire existence would only confuse everyone. At the same time though Walter realized just how happy the past nine days had been. He had everything he had ever wanted. A life that was exciting, a friend, and now a wife that was truly in love with him. The entire chain of events hadn't fazed him all that time, and now it was starting to weigh on him. He was going to live here. And somewhere along the way he had to teach Cro and prove his love for Drey. But of course, everything had a price in the world. That was why it was the first law of thermodynamics. Walter soon saw that he had paid a price to get here. And now he would pay an even bigger one if he wanted to stay, to keep what he had obtained. What he would never give up because he'd sacrifice everything else to have it, even if just for one more day.

Walter was nervous about going back in time too. He was scared that he would do it again, and it would be unintentional or something. He wanted to stay here with Cro and Drey. But Cro had insisted that things would happen and Walter needed to be ready. Drey had said the same thing, and that was why she had married him. It was assurance that she trusted him, and that she believed he would honor everything that was now entrusted to him. He had been entrusted with magic, and a princess who was now coming to him on his wedding night. Walter didn't feel right about it. Drey had loved him the moment she knew he was her love from years ago. But Walter had not proven anything yet. He had not earned Dreys' love or respect. How could he ever expect to be in love if his love hadn't even been tested against something? Drey looked lovely and Walter couldn't help but sob at that moment. Drey cuddled next to him on the bed as he cried onto his arm.

"You fear this is wrong because you haven't known me long."

Walter clasped her hand and nodded. Drey came closer pushing herself against Walter who was still wearing his shirt and cargo pants. The window of the room was opened a crack, and a nice breeze almost like a fan was gently blowing on the princess and her husband. Drey had on a white gown. But beneath it Walter felt her. He wanted to deserve her, to really be her chosen because that was the only way in Walters mind.

"This happened before you know."

Walter turned to look at her, and she continued. She told him about how they met, how he had been in the forest, and how she had been attacked. She kept the story vague so Walter couldn't guess what he had done and what exactly had happened. Just a classic tale of love, adventure, hardships, culminating in a circumstance like this where Walter was there beside her. She had her doubts about being able to love a stranger, and Walter had done as she had done for Walter now. He had told her that love was a choice above all else. And that even if she chose not to be his beloved, he would always protect her.

Drey then went on telling Walter all of her secrets. Her childhood, her likes and dislikes. Walter listened and when he tried to add his own, Drey guessed them all perfectly. Saying there was no need because Walter had shared it all with her back then. Walter wanted to be this other Walter who knew Drey so well. But Drey reminded him that she had been in his situation so there was a commonality between them that made their relationship so special. They were brought together by desire and by chance. And even though they came from different lands and times, their love would overcome it all. And tonight Drey was choosing to give Walter a supreme declaration that she wanted him. That when he vanished to go on the journey that would bring them together again for him and the first time for her. She would be here waiting for him to come back. She had longed for him, and knew that Walter had waited a long time to have his deepest wishes granted.

"I want to grant your wish tonight. And then you must promise me you will find me. Promise that you will not leave me unless it is to prevent losing me. I don't know why Walter. I don't know what is going to happen. I just know you are going to get your chance to earn what you've always strived for. Even if tonight seems like it isn't meant to occur. Know this, you will earn it if you haven't already. I believe that whatever happens, you will not take it and give nothing back. You will love me eventually, even if you can't do it tonight."

Walter pressed his forehead against hers. He listened to her emotions, and then let his own enter into her mind. She breathed heavily. He wanted to read her thoughts, see the entire story of their lives together and how it ended. But that all depended on what he did now, even if tomorrow he was years in the future, or centuries in the past. Carpe Diem, seize the day. Walter had waited a long time for a moment like this. And he finally admitted to himself that the rest of his unpredictable existence was worth this one moment. Walter stroked the long golden hair of his wife. Gazed into her blue eyes till their smiles matched perfectly. Closed his eyes to maximize the feeling of kissing her again and again. And then Walter finally spoke aloud his commitment to Drey.

"I will always be your husband, even if you aren't my wife after this."

"Then as my husband, I want you to give me all of you now, and then more when and if one or both of us don't remember each other."

Walter didn't know how they would do that if they both forgot. So Walter made one more promise.

"I wont forget, even if I have to lose everything else to retain it."

"And I will believe you, somehow some way you'll find me. And you wont leave me after tonight?"

"If I vanish after tonight, I'll come back to you. Wherever and whenever that is."

"You told me that once before."

"Did I keep that promise?"

"I believe you will if you haven't already."

"And I believe I do want to give you all of me."

That night Walters' feelings charged everything around him. The forest spent hours discussing how they would keep Drey safe. Cro was seated when he felt the aura and knew that what was happening was sure to awake Rye. And sure enough, in the dormitory academy, Rye awoke sensing the enormous power. Rye could not locate the source because the energy was unfamiliar. But he awoke from slumber and began a spell that would slowly bind the energy and make it his prisoner. And while he slowly crafted the spell, he would study legends, stories, tales about the yellow, orange, and red class wizards. If what Rye had just sensed wasn't a red class wizard, then nothing was. He would capture this energy source, and make it do his bidding. And there were only three things Rye wanted to use it for. Make Cro disappear like the wizards of old, Walter gone with no memory of Ando, and Drey his trophy to remind him of the victory for all time.

Ch. 14 The Heads Up

When Walter awoke, Drey was not beside him. In the stead he found he was in his own room. Home? No! He pleaded. It wasn't a dream. Walter would've given his life to know that it had all been real. What had happened? Walter called out for Drey, and an old familiar voice told him Drey was safe. Walter was shocked to see himself, clad in his running outfit, drinking large gulps from a water bottle.

"Where's Drey?"

"He tried to kill her so I relocated the both of you. It drained most of my power, so I'll be stuck here for some time. You on the other hand have to go back."

Walter was angry at this other him, and more importantly wanted to know if he had touched Drey.

"What's going on?"

"Oh good, I was waiting for you to say that."

Walter finally understood, this was some sort of trick that Rye was performing. Cro had said Rye might try to send him back or worse erase his memories. But that would be very difficult, and temporary amnesia was more likely. Walter rose off the bed and prepared to attack this illusion or trick of Ryes' but this Walter somehow knew the exact spell he had in mind and dodged it and bound Walters' whole body.

"That's how I reacted when I was in your place in this situation. I'm not Rye, but I assure you he has caused a lot of problems since the wedding night and he is still a threat now."

Walter knew that this guy if he was Rye or a minion could've finished him off already if he wanted. So Walter surrendered.

"You really shouldn't attack unless you challenge a wizard first. Offense is more predictable than defense anyway. But you'll learn all of this when you duel Rye."

"Duel Rye?"

"I'm gonna send you back to the inn in a few minutes. I brought you here so you could pick up a few things you'll need. But first you already know where the first thing is."

Walter was freed from the binding and got up and eyed his other self as he went to the drawer and took his class ring out of its hiding place in the corner of a drawer, cleverly hidden in a folded bandana.

"Come over here so I can explain the situation."

Walter saw that the other Walter was seated on the ground and was setting up a chess board. This bothered Walter, but he seated himself where the black pieces were. It made sense since white always goes first, and this Walter had obviously lived all of Walters' history up to now and then some.

"You know how a chess match works, and that as the pieces are eliminated, soon only the king remains."

"Yes!"

"When I send you back, Rye will challenge you to a duel. You cannot refuse and as a result both of you will be on this board so to speak. Rye wont be able to kill you, but he will try and take your pieces and make them his own. Not your standardized chess match, but that will be his strategy. I have my own strategy and so far it is working but it's very tricky."

"How?"

"Imagine I am the whites and you are the blacks. I'm the white king and the Drey I protect is the white queen. You are the black king and your Drey back at the inn is the black queen. Cro is our respected rooks and so on and so forth. If we attack each other, we'll end up with fewer pieces, but supposed he never attack each other, never take pieces."

"Then the chess match will never end."

"Precisely, but what say we get Rye to attack himself, in the past, in the future, and even in the present?"

"Then he'll loose pieces and get weaker."

"Yes, so basically this was my move taking you here and moving Drey. Well that's two moves but you get the picture. Now that I've moved you, I'm gonna move you both once more and then it'll be Ryes' turn, and I will have to wait a few turns to help you again. I'll be stuck here until I can regenerate my magic. I knew it was risky, but I had no choice if I was going to beat Rye and the nasty spell he has cooked up for you when you get back."

"What kind of spell?"

"A binding like the one I just did but very tricky, and a very long time getting yourself untangled out of. I wish I could just beat him now, but if we undo our old moves, then it'll never end. The trick is to move forward whichever way that ends up being."

"Will I go to the past?"

"You already know the answer is yes, but I can't tell you anymore. I was fortunate enough to be schooled the way you are right now. But everything else has been a surprise. Besides, it's no fun playing a game where you know everything that is gonna happen."

"This is a game?"

"For Rye it is. He wont rest until he gets rid of you and me. You'll see pretty soon. For now I've given you as much help as I can. I would've preferred waking up with Drey beside me but then this happened. I'll send you back with the remainder of my power. But then I'll be stranded here and I wont be able to do anything that amazing for a few days. I'm counting on you cause you are still at full strength."

"Did Rye send me back here several times?"

"No more questions. Duel Rye, don't undo anything you've already done, that's all you need to deal a heavy blow, or even the deciding blow of this nasty business Rye is behind."

"So I'll bump into a younger Cro and younger Drey, and that has to happen at all costs?"

"Stay in the present as long as you can is the bottom line. And you know what the present is right?"

"Anything that hasn't happened to me from my perspective."

"Bingo."

"What about now? Do I have to come back here and kidnap the younger me?"

"Have you gone back yet?"

"No!"

"Then just live until then."

"Anything else besides the ring?"

"Tell them you're going to a comic book convention."

"Who?"

"You'll find out in a bit."

Walter was about to ask where Walters' staff and tunic were but the other Walter raised his arms, closed his eyes tightly and spoke a mix of English and Andoish. In an instant Walter was back in the bed at the inn and Drey was there. I thought Walter had moved Drey? Live in the moment the other Walter had said. Seemed like a good idea considering the time on Walters' watch. It was Friday 10:30pm in Ando. But wait! His watch was nine days off because of the travel back to the castle. So even if it was wrong it should say Sunday. And shouldn't it be morning already in Ando? Walter then realized the other Walter must've reset the watch and put Walter back a few hours early. So it was ten thirty at night and he had been taken back to his wedding night. How many hours had he been back home? How many hours had he slept and in which place? And when was the exact time Walter had been taken by Walter? Drey stirred and asked if Walter couldn't sleep. More like Walter didn't need to sleep. Wherever and whenever he had been, Walter had got a good nights sleep and right before something even better. Now he had two choices. Get an extra nights sleep the same night, or get an extra night with Drey the same night. It wasn't a difficult choice. And Drey never forgot that night, as did Walter.

Ch. 15 The Duel

When Drey awoke she saw Walter was half dressed doing push-ups on the floor. She knew what they were and were called because Walter always stretched and exercised each morning when they had first met. And she still hadn't decided if she wanted to adapt the strange but obviously effective training. She ordered Walter back into bed, and Walter replied not until he had done sixty. Drey waited till fifty-nine then surprised Walter by pouncing on him wrapped in the bed sheets. Walter instinctively rolled and pinned her to the floor.

"Maybe we should do this every morning?"

"Then go on your run and hurry back."

Walter was shocked and happy at the suggestion. It was true he wanted to make their honeymoon memorable. And Drey had made it so by granting him the thing that always helped him clear his mind. His meditative jogs. Walter had done it since middle school, and now he did it like breathing. He thought his deepest thoughts. Vented pent up emotions on these runs. They usually lasted a good hour, and always Walter came back wishing he could do it a little more.

"You should come with me."

"And you'll need a good soak when you get back. I'll get things warmed up for you when you get back."

"You'll be alright without me for an hour?"

"I'll sleep in, and maybe try some push-ups if I get bored."

"Sounds good, I'll be back."

Walter ran barefoot and very fast that morning. He was living in the moment like Walter had said a few hours before. It didn't matter now. Time was immaterial, and it only served to make the present possible. The past built the possibilities of the now, and the future was uncertain for the most part. Walter thought about the things he hadn't done yet, but that had already happened for other people. He came to the conclusion that that didn't matter either. Parents saw their children make the same leaps and mistakes as they had. And the elderly predicted the future accurately because it often repeated the past anyway. Right now Walter was running on the soft earth, not the concrete slabs of home that was bad on his legs and felt unnatural. Walter loved this place. Clean, and alive. Alive because the earth, plants, and animals moved like the air and water. Always changing, giving and taking equally. Not like when the industrial revolution had tried to speed things up, only for it to cause a void down the road that someone else would pay for. Though sometimes drastic change occurred too. That was precisely what had happened to Walter. His world had been switched for another. And now he had been warned that it was going to change again. And through it all he was still supposed to enjoy it somehow. Walter loathed his old life. He had not enjoyed it. Not enough change had occurred, and yet now he didn't want his current situation to change. He wanted it to endure forever. If it did though, how would anyone else find happiness? You couldn't just unhinge yourself from reality and live in a state void of suffering. You'd also cut yourself off from joy and peace.

They were big questions. How to love change and continuity in the same moment? Two seemingly contradictory things that both had the potential to bring one happiness or misery. Walter had hated the perpetual repetition of modern life. And was thrilled without measure when he had found himself here in Ando. He wanted to be here forever. At the same time the changes brought anxiety, the possibility of horrible things that would ruin the perpetual bliss. And then Walter remembered the chess board. If Walter kept moving, the game would never end. Pieces would move around, and there would also be pauses as each player decided what to do next. There was no way the game could be fun if both players left the board unchanged. An unchanging state was certain to get boring. Walter knew that, and at the same time, a random chaotic change every second would be just as frustrating. So life needed the opposing forces. They were both good, pushing each other, complimenting each other. Neither one above the other. The perfect union, the circle of perfection.

And then there was Drey. He'd change for her, and he'd also endure for her. Both would bring happiness. They'd do it together, and the changes would become like the running. Like breathing, a constant flow of energy like a river. Sure there would be slow areas, pools, and drop offs. But always the water would be going somewhere. Walter couldn't stay in one place. He'd have his routine life in the town one season, and at times go into the wilderness on a journey where the danger was unknown and things less predictable. That was life. That was happiness. Places to go, places to return to. And that was the answer. The past was the enduring portion, the future the changing piece. The present located directly in the middle where it should be. If one spent too much time in the past or future, then misery was the only option. And now that Walter had traveled through time, he could be happy anywhere, any when.

Walter hurried around the town of Peor before finally coming back to the inn almost spent. When he got up the stairs to the room he realized he had run without his shirt. And promptly grabbed it off the floor by the bed and started using it to wipe the sweat from off his face. Drey had made the bed while he was gone. And called him from the bath in the next room. Walter wasn't sure how he'd wash his clothes, but that wasn't the present situation.

Several hours before then far away Rye had noticed the energy had vanished and was enraged when he couldn't locate it. Rye had had almost enough of this and had to control himself to not use any magic. He still needed four days minimum before he could even consider finding and confronting either Cro or Walter. So he continued reading, and preparing the binding spell. Trying to get the runes right. Trying to anticipate how to use it when the time was right. When the energy came back and stirred the air, Rye almost thought he should try and go to it and subdue it then. But what if it was a trap? Rye had a feeling it might be Walter, but it was so much more powerful than the last time he had sensed him, and it had only been a few hours since he had escaped with Cro. Maybe Cro had masked his full power? Maybe Walter had vented again like before? Rye could only guess. But he still was sure the best guess was that it was a red wizard. Maybe an orange. He'd know soon. Assuming it didn't disappear. Rye synced with it and was surprised when it turned out to be circling the town of Peor a few hours later. All that while Rye had gathered strength and knowledge on the legends. Mutton Hollow had been mentioned. Giants, and a few wizards by name like one called the green hero. Rye had heard of this wizard. He was one of the ones who disappeared during the last wizard war and was presumed dead or bound by some spell that made him seem to not exist. That was the answer Rye needed. For he hoped by some fluke to get Cro and Walter to end up wherever there was for those old fossils who had gotten tangled in their own magic. Rye had no intention of getting tangled in his spells. That's why he was doing all this research and review. There would be no mistakes. Any obstacles would be stopped dead in their tracks. And Rye would have everything back the way it was two days ago.

For Walter and Drey, the day involved Cro inviting himself over to duel Walter. Cro won, but Walter had managed to maintain most of his magic while making Cro juggle his own magic and eventually use it on himself in ways that made him faster, invisible, and what seemed bigger when Walter got winded. Cro seemed proud of himself. And then spent a good long time teaching Walter all the spells he had used to win. Cro said he was sure Walter would win the next duel they had. That would turn out to be true. After training, Drey found that her parents were beginning to recover. She would have loved to introduce Walter but there was still a slight chance of the jester fever spreading to them. And Cro also suggested that it was time to deal with Rye. By the end of the day if possible. Walter concerned that Cro was not at full strength, but Cro assured Walter that using magic on himself was not so costly as he thought. Only desperate wizards employed offense. Which was why Walter had done well to use his opponents own offense. But Cro had topped it by using it in a way that resulted in Walter trying to use offensive spells instead of protecting himself from Cros' large invisible foot. Cro reviewed the strategies of hexing an opponent, hexing ones' self, and the surrounding environment. All three strategies needed to be used to win. Favoring one left openings that could be exploited. That final fact proved to be very helpful to Walter.

Drey wanted to go with Cro and Walter, and she held onto Walter for a very long time before Cro intervened. Walter requested that if something happened to him. Cro was to put Drey somewhere where Rye couldn't find or get to her. Walter said he'd try to do the same if it turned out Rye had subdued Cro. Cro seemed confident he could take care of Rye. But he was also well aware that Walter might not be so fortunate. The question was whether Walter ending up in the past was a weapon employed by Rye, or a strategy of either Walter or Cro to get an upper hand somehow? Cro had no way of knowing, so once again had to consent to just waiting and seeing what happened, until enough knowledge was available to access an action to take.

Walter then proposed that he would fight Rye on his own and weaken Rye enough for Cro to finish the job. Walter further conveyed that if something happened to him, Cro could wisp Drey away and then take his place. If Cro went first, while it was true Walter might successfully assist afterwards, it would be pointless if Rye took Drey hostage. Cro refused to comply with his plan. But Walter insisted that one of them had to protect Drey or at least some other wizard that Cro thought could keep her safe or take on Rye. Cro was defeated. He knew Walter was right. If Drey got hurt Walter would get reckless, or worse there'd be no reason to even kill or defeat Rye. He'd stay and guard the princess. The same he'd always done for all the years. It seemed so unfair to Cro. When was he going to know how Walter ended up teaching him? And how long would Walter be gone before this duel with Rye ended? Cro knew he was going to miss all of it. And his only hope was that Walter was going to show up years or moments later and finally clarify all this business that had haunted Cro since he was a boy. Cro hated being old, the time with Walter had been great. And now he was leaving again just like he had before. And worse, this Walter still didn't have a good excuse for him to wait. Then Cro realized it was Drey. Cro felt more foolish than the time he had talked back to Walter. Of course Drey. You're so concerned with your own desires that you forget that Walter has wants too. Not just any wants, one that is gonna have him fishing you out of a river, teaching you magic, and doing all sorts of crazy stuff just so that you and Drey don't die until much later. Fine master. I'll keep Drey safe, very safe in fact. And when you get back you'd better tell me every second of what happened from the day you were born to the moment you come back telling me that you don't have to travel through worlds and time anymore. Cro put himself behind Drey and Walter who held hands tightly, and the group began walking back towards Ando. The plan was to pick up Rye's aura, and see if he met up with them. If not they would walk all the way to the academy where Cro could sense that Rye had something waiting for them. All the while Cro drilled Walter on charms and how to counter them, use them to his advantage, and modify them into completely new spells if the duel ever got that heated. Walter got the answers right several times over the long walk. All the time looking at Drey who looked back at him. Knowing that each glance might be the last one for quite some time.

Rye sensed the trio approaching, nearing him. And worse. He felt Cro and Walter serving, replenishing power as they marched closer and closer to the academy. He sensed Drey as well. It was tempting to probe but Walter and Cro were on the alert and he'd be wasting time trying to probe when they could attack his own mind at any moment. Rye figured Cro and Walter wouldn't use magic to reach him, They were walking precisely because they were plotting while getting to the battlefield. A battlefield he was going to control as much as possible. They might know it was a trap. But knowing danger doesn't make it any less real or less possible to get caught in it. Rye knew his spell was incomplete, but it would still test the resolve of anyone who tried to escape it. Rye had a few hours before they got here, and he was really only concerned about one other aspect of the spell. Who it would target? If it targeted one person then it would be two against one. And if it targeted two, it would be one and two cripples against him. So Rye thought he'd go the extra mile and make a spell that affected all three people. Three cripples verse him. It would be entertaining. For awhile anyway cause Rye knew all magic was escapable given enough time and study. And his binding had some very concrete rules attached to it. The victim would be his. He'd steal their magic, or worse use it to modify and strengthen the binding. It was perfect. His opponent would be trapped, and while they were trapped he would grow stronger and slowly bind them more and more until it was just a matter of Rye not getting lazy at replenishing himself and adding a few additional rules to the binding as time went by. A prison that reinforced itself each day. Became harder to climb out of each time an attempt was made. No prisoner would persist, they'd quit, realize any escape plan would be erased the moment Rye made his regular rounds.

But who would Rye enslave? He couldn't enslave all three of them, casting a spell on three would weaken the effects, Cro would escape for sure, and Walter had a chance, Drey would be trapped forever. That would certainly affect Cro and Walters' ability to fight. At the same time though, Cro was the yellow class, beating him would advance Ryes' status, and then it would be a novice who had a mere two days of training. What could Walter have possibly learned besides a few beginner spells that might tickle because he'd throw so many that eventually Rye or Walter would exhaust their power? That was the problem. If he bound Cro, Walter would have reserves and might just survive enough to beat Rye down long enough for Cro to come back with a vengeance. So Rye decided it would be Walter. The gold mine had to be removed or it would fuel the war too long. Cro would be annoying but not something Rye would be unfamiliar with. Walter was the unpredictable enemy. And one Rye admitted he may or may not know how to fight. It would be best to test his spell on Walter and if it worked, then victory would be easier. If he wasted it on Cro, Cro had a higher chance of nullifying it and coming back. It was all efficiency. He would challenge Walter. Walter would either refuse and lose power, or accept, and Cro would have to watch or jump in and then he'd be weakened. Even better if Drey intervened and found herself under Ryes' knife. So the binding would choose Walter. He was the reason behind all this business anyway. So why waste energy on someone Rye was only slightly upset at? Better to get to the root of the problem and chop away.

Rye also noticed that the magic he had sensed was shrinking, almost as if it were trying to wait till the fight was over. Rye was very puzzled. He'd never heard of a wizard who suppressed his power and used it till much later. Except Walter, and that was more because of circumstance than choice. Still Rye decided he would try and do it himself and see what he could accomplish with it. He just hoped Cro hadn't been that clever in all his years of study. It was almost noon when Cro, Drey, and Walter reached the duel grounds of the academy. Rye came out and before issuing a challenge realized his opponents and himself were both dying for a bite to eat. Oh well! The winner would get to eat lunch, and the loser would be trapped somewhere where being able to eat would be the least of their problems.

"You've been busy Walter." Rye jeered.

"As have you Rye." Cro darted in.

"Rye is there something you want? Cro said you were in rage and so we went away to train. I'd like to think it was just overprotection on Cros' part."

Walter always preferred reasoning with people, and it was always a supreme frustration when he found that the person was either ignorant, stupid, or beyond reasoning capabilities. Walter only hated the third vice because the other two always sorted themselves out in ways he let time deal out instead of him. Unreasonable people did the strangest and most unbelievable things at times.

"Yes Walter I am in a rage. I had hoped to send you home by the weeks end. But I have great news. I am ready to send you home now."

"I've decided to stay here if that's alright with you. Cro has consented, as has Drey."

"That depends on why you want to stay."

"I want to be with Drey, Cro too, and you if you feel we can learn from each other."

"Learn from each other? You seem to think that you can teach a green class wizard when you have no extensive training."

"I've given him the rank of green for now." Cro spewed.

Rye was devastated to hear that. Walter had green class in just two days. This was an insult to Rye even if one of his teachers had sanctioned it.

"Really, then I suggest a duel Walter. I will test your skills, and if you beat me there's no harm done. You only change colors if you win and move up, or lose and move down. Most wizards for that reason avoid fighting their own class. We want to improve and the only way is to beat a superior or senior student."

"Terms?" Walter inquired.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"To the death? Till one of us surrenders? Till Cro calls time? Rye was upset that Walter knew the three kinds of duels. This was a disappointed. Time might be enough. Death would reveal his intent, and Walter would decline killing, even if it weakened him. And if Rye tried to attack outside the duel, Cro would end it all. Drey had two men guarding her. It took Rye a moment but he did something irregular.

"Till one of us surrenders or Cro calls time. No killing will take place."

"Cro had hoped it would be time cause then he would make it five minutes. But if Rye or Walter never surrendered, time calling became meaningless. It was a clever loophole on

Ryes' part. If Cro called time, it would be a tie anyway, and the match would continue. Cro understood it was going to be a battle till one of them surrendered, they both surrendered, or he somehow convinced the spells that there was a decisive winner. Cro would be time keeper, and at the same time the duel would have him be referee to an extent. Now he would just have to see what Walter did. Please don't agree Walter, let Rye win, he'd fall for it, and he agreed not to kill. He wouldn't dare break that vow or he knows I'll kill him instantly. Just hope Rye isn't so tainted that he'd actually take Walter with him to his grave.

"I accept with one additional rule."

Rye was all ears, what could an amateur possibly do with an additional rule that would be so important to him that he'd make it a part of what was going to be his final moments in Ando?

"One of us either gets to attack first or gets fifteen minutes after the first attack to do a counter."

Rye was wild. That was an impossible decision. If he attacked first he might win. But if his first attack failed, Walter would get fifteen minutes to do something truly nasty that would certainly be the most powerful spell in the duel. Head start or a chance to recover. Worst was Walter had accepted the duel and now if Rye declined the modification, it would put Walter in a situation to decline without violating any rules, and he could go free from this battle altogether. Or Walter could simply pick a new modification that would certainly be in his favor, since Rye had declined a fair one. Rye would be handicapped. Rye was full of greed though, and so he decided quicker than any other wizard in the history of dueling.

"Very well Walter, you shall get the first blow, and I shall get fifteen minutes afterwards to do whatever counter I choose."

Cro was nervous. What would Walter do to get things started? And worse. What would Rye do in fifteen minutes or less? If Walter didn't have a plan, Cro would certainly have to leave with Drey, and then Walter would be alone. The opening spell would decide everything, especially if Walter had any chance of winning against Rye who Cro knew enough of what he was capable of.

"Ready Rye?"

"Ready."

"HEK, PUQ 7."

Neither Cro or Rye understood the spell but Rye was amazed when it latched onto him and he couldn't even read its meaning before it hit him. Rye got up. No muscles restrained, no memory loss, no injury. What had Walter just done to him? Didn't matter if all it did was knock him over there was nothing to fear. Rye began writing his own runes.

"Hourglass Rune, Travel Rune, Attack Rune, Protection Rune, Luck Rune, Completer Rune."

Walter understood the runes of Ando but was blurting out their English meaning. Cro realized what was going to happen and prepared to take Drey away. Rye was sending Walter back home, and in a moment would modify the terms so that Walter would have a very hard time if any chance of getting back. Walter was calm. Cro hadn't understood his spell and then realized he had used the runes of his world. Would that work? It meant only Walter knew the spell, and if he anticipated Ryes' intent, he could use it to take control of it. So there was a spell that Walter knew, a spell both Walter and Rye knew. And all that was left was to see what happened when the spell tried to wisp Walter away.

"Hour glass rune, Travel Rune, Joy Rune, Luck Rune."

This time Rye understood what Walter had said as his own spell latched onto Walter. Rye suddenly realized what Walter had done. He had just reiterated his own spell. Only it was a defensive one, no attack rune had been inserted. Ryes' own binding Walter to his own world had a protection merely to insure Walter didn't die by magic. But Walter had also said those strange words. Rye understood, Walter had used those ghastly merchant runes, and whatever he had said, there was no telling how it had changed the spell or was going to affect him or everyone there. Suddenly Rye realized he was being bound. How? It took a moment but Rye realized that it was his own spell binding him along with Walter. No! Walter wouldn't. Would he? Bind them both? No! He'd never let Drey go. Unless he expected Cro to save him. Cro would do it. Nobody would come for Rye. Rye wasn't gonna quit just yet. The binding was supposed to take Walter to his world and make him remain stuck by using his own magic to create barriers. Walter had somehow managed to bind Rye and now he was gonna go somewhere. Unless Rye could guess the first spell. He had to assume he was going to Walters' world as well. He'd be stranded, at a disadvantage, but at least he'd be able to get free somehow. But that was just it. Rye had Walters' runes, but no clue what some of them were. Walter knew, he would get free too. No! He'd get free first, Rye would be guessing and failing, regenerating and trying again while Walter took sweet steady time getting back home. Well not really home, but Walter felt at home here and that made Rye mad as ever. As Rye prepared for the spells to take effect he thought about the hour glass rune that Walter had added to the spell. They now had two of them. Where would they end up? No way to tell without the first spell Walter had used.

Walter could feel himself being dragged as it had happened just over a week ago. He looked at Cro and Drey and smiled as he prepared to vanish until he would get a chance to see them again. Before Rye and Walter vanished, another spell was cast. No one had time to see who or what it was. But it hit Cro and Drey who vanished upon impact. And with that spell cast, the battlefield was completely empty, except for another Walter wearing armor and a sword with a different staff, and a Rye who hadn't shaved in a long time.

Ch. 16 Time out

Walter and Rye remained bound for several minutes before the spells wore off for them to free themselves. Walters' first spell remained in force, as did Rye's spell keeping them wherever they were and at the same time being modified by the first spell. Rye and Walter looked around and noticed that there was no academy and no dueling field. They had no idea where they were. And would've finished their fight if it didn't become obvious how pointless it would be until they knew what exactly their spells had done. Walter seemed calm, Rye didn't like this and tried to attack Walter with a flame charm. Walter grabbed the spell and turned it into a prison of fire around Rye. As Rye kept himself in the center trying to avoid being burned, Walter marched off alone, knowing perfectly well where but not when he was. It was Ando alright. Cause it certainly wasn't home, even if it was a different when. The trees spoke a special language. And listening was the key. Walter hypothesized the trees at home sounded different, but that was only a theory. If it was home then he'd find out soon enough if someone spoke English or looked like something out of his encyclopedia.

Rye could've easily countered the flame prison, but he realized he was exhausted because of the spell he had caste. Six runes, and he'd be in trouble if Walter came at him with another spell after another. Walter had used seven runes, plus five more, and he was somehow easily walking away. It made Rye grit his teeth because he knew and sensed that Walter was already replenishing from the forest. Rye would do the same once the spell wore off. But that would only happen if Walter broke his focus or got too far away to focus well enough. Rye also contemplated ending his spell because it had obviously not worked. But then he would be back on the field and Walter already had an advantage by having a spell attached to Rye to which he did not know the effects. The question was whether the first cryptic spell had dragged Rye here or the third spell spoken just before the spell grabbed Walter? The third spell mentioned the time rune and travel rune. The first spell could have been anything. It seemed the third spell was to blame since Rye listened to the forest when the spell began to wear off. It was Ando, only it was being called Andro by the trees. It made sense. Names gradually changed as time went by. But were they in the Ando of the past or of the future? Rye knew Walter was going to find out. Find the academy. That was his plan. Go to the academy and study a way to beat Rye. Well Rye wouldn't just sit by and let that happen. Wizard duels without time limits tended to be quick. But Rye realized victory was pointless unless he got home. That might have been Walters' spell. Make it hard for Rye to get home just as he had had in mind for Walter. The difference was Walter had a home away from home. And then there was this place. Three worlds to battle on, and Walter had experience in two of them potentially. Rye couldn't bear the obvious truth, that no matter how he evaluated the duel so far, Walter clearly had a slight head start, and was still plowing ahead to whatever the next move would be.

Rye decided he would hold out on the offense, he'd modify his spell when the time was right. Stay here in a time or place neither of them knew, that would eliminate the advantage Walter had. Of course Walter might actually choose to take them both to his world. Then Walter would have the advantage. Rye didn't like that idea so he told himself that if Walter got any more upper hands, he'd cancel the spell and see what happened to both of them next. The flame prison spell wore off and Rye decided he would need a little time away from Walter. So using half of his remaining power he conjured an enchantment that infected the forest nearby. It was a risky spell since Rye had never tried it. But now that he had broken his vows he was free to create such things. Trees produced thorns and spikes. Vines crept across the ground consuming the grass, insects, and small animals. Using them to continue their pursuit to the magic source that out matched them all, Walter. Rye chuckled because he knew the hex would eventually reach Walter, or follow him if he remained mobile. When that happened he would have to fight, or lose vast amounts of power that the forest would take from him. How would Walter combat this nasty curse? It was true Walter might figure out that his magic only helped the spell get stronger, that would be the hard task for Walter. How to fight a spell that fed on you. Rye would've loved to watch Walter fail. But he needed to be away so that he could remain out of Walters' sight, and try if he could to get back to Ando while Walter remained stuck here with a not so friendly forest that had been commanded to find him and feast on his succulent magic.

Ch. 17 Wizard Krell

Walter wasn't sure if he should fight Rye because he had no idea where he was. So he figured he'd only attack when attacked and only hex when a hex came for him. Cro had said a few times that listening was the first principal and most mistakes happened when a person didn't listen and then attacked or acted out of a lack of knowledge. Walter didn't want to do any collateral damage in this place, so he had to at least find out what kind of place this was, and if he could use his magic here. The forest seemed to like Walter. And so Walter tried to stay off the grass. By that point the grass told Walter which way to walk and Walter listened eagerly as it led him to a small village beyond the forest clearing where he and Rye had ended up. Walter eyed a stream and it seemed to remind him of Mutton Hallow. The river was much smaller though, and Walter didn't sense any giants nearby. In fact he sensed very little except the forest and the little village.

Walter walked through the village and recognized no one. Walter also didn't dare speak because he was sure he wouldn't understand or be understood. He figured he'd just get some bearings, and then replenish enough power to try and get back to Drey and Cro back in Ando. It would be hard and yet doable. If he concentrated on the person or place he was sure he could get there. He needed to be far away from Rye though. Otherwise Rye would just follow his magic scent and the footprints he left when he did a spell. Better, if he succeeded, he could set a trap of some sort for Rye when and if he followed him. He probably would. Rye could get back to Ando for sure. But the best part was if he did Walters' first spell would bring him along. And that was what Walters' spell was. Any spell Rye used to his advantage, would be to Walters' advantage. Any spell used on Walter would affect Rye likewise. Walter had barely enough time to modify the flame charm. If he had let it hit him, Rye would've caught on fire as well. But that would've given away the spell. They had both been sent home, but Walter had modified that spell so that it would take them to their home from home. That meant Ando for Walter, but for Rye there was no telling what it meant. And that was why they had ended up here.

Walter finally remembered how hungry he was so he decided he'd try his luck at any eating establishment he could find. If that didn't work, he go to the forest and hopefully find a fish, a hare, or something that would satisfy him until he could do some service, and then go back to Cro and Drey.

While Walter was mime bartering his minor possessions for a loaf of bread and some cheese. Rye had found a farmers sheep pen and was luring one of the herd away with a curiosity spell. The hard part was making the farmer not perceive the missing lamb. He kept counting the sheep he had just shut up. And always Rye made him lose count until he finally got tired of double checking. He'd never slipped up before, so how would he break a spotless record? The lamb tasted good, especially since Rye hadn't eaten since an early breakfast. Best of all he had rations now and could at least survive as long as he found water. Rye hid deep in the forest where he was sure he wouldn't be found. And sure enough there was a stream where there was plenty of water. Rye eyed the stream up and again and then realized it was the stream by his house. Smaller, but the same contour, shape, rock type, and soil type. Given more time, it would widen and reach the size of his time. So at least for now, Rye realized he was a hundred, no at least two hundred years in Andos' past. That was an exciting fact. Rye could investigate this past, maybe even his own. Perhaps there were red wizards in this place? Or at the very least the progenitors of the mystic arts? Rye had time. He'd look into it while Walter had problems that were going to be at his feet in a few days. Maybe if Rye got lucky, he'd get strangled in his sleep. Unlikely, Walter would sniff out the hexed vines when they got too close. But at least for now, Rye was gonna find out if magic really was still around. No point looking for the academy now. The villagers wouldn't be laying the first bricks until some time later. And if they had started, they were probably not even three feet high yet. Once again Rye found himself in need of more information. But he was good at gathering that. So he made a small camp in the forest that afternoon. And prepared for a night of snooping in the village.

Walter didn't want to part with one of his three wedding gifts. But he finally traded the beautiful boots for a meal and lodgings for the night. Walter swore he'd never sell the bracelet. And he set the wooden flute Drey had given him by his dinner plate. Walter didn't know how to play it beyond how to hold it. Drey had shown him that much. Walter knew his notes though, and decided that if he found himself missing Drey he'd learn the flute to help keep him calm and remind him that he was going to get back to her. Walter knew he was in Ando the moment his charade was laughed at by the innkeeper. Walters' Andoish was even more laughable, but he had managed to make it clear he didn't speak well, and that he needed food and shelter. The innkeeper became nicer after seeing how hard Walter was trying. But still, the boots were obviously a gift fit for royalty. And the innkeeper had made no small game of wanting them if not to wear them himself, or make some friend or relative happy with the gift that had been scarcely worn. Just enough to be proven reliable and well made. Walter didn't mind being barefoot again. He would just have an easier time talking to the forest. It would warn him where to watch his step. And it would keep him clear of snakes and holes. Walter was tired after walking a whole day. And he would have to leave as soon as possible. If he stayed, he'd cause trouble. And worse Rye might cause trouble.

Walter half expected Rye to follow him. But Walter sensed that Rye was far away. Probably doing the same thing Walter was, except with a dark taint to each action. Rye had fallen. Walter never thought he'd see it but he had. A wizard who now wanted to use magic for himself and only himself. That would make service meaningless. Every service Rye did would have a means attached, payment would be not so obligatory as forced out of the poor victim. The forest would help Rye out of fear rather than a sense of friendship. Eventually the forest would either surrender to him or fight him at every turn. Walter hoped it was the later. The forest would eventually learn of Ryes' intentions and tell him less, if it told him anything. Walter realized that already he was in a state where he could feasibly defeat Rye without Cro. Cro would be nice, but he wasn't here, and even if he was, the duel was between him and Rye. Walter decided he would end the duel quickly. Create some spell that either stranded Rye for a very long time or forced a surrender from his mouth. Walter didn't know such a spell. But maybe he could learn it while he was here. One reason would be so that Rye would lose patience and take them both home. Walter finished his meal and was about to check into a room to rest when a screaming girl entered the inn and said "forest" of all the few words Walter understood. Walter closed his eyes and pressed firmly on the floor his feet. Then he did the extra effort and went outside where the dead wood wouldn't deafen the noise of the living ground.

Walter had never heard the forest say hungry so much, and then he got really nervous when he heard it calling for him. Walter tried to reason with it. But it was ravenous, and it was also infected with anger. Walter then spoke much louder for the entire forest to hear and asked what he had done. Perhaps he had trespassed? Not performed service. Immediately, Walter emptied the remainder of his gourd on the grass to demonstrate a willingness to serve the forest.

"Sick, help."

Walter understood, only a part of the forest was rebelling or had been fed some emotion that it had latched onto. Magic was an addictive thing, but develop too much of an appetite and things got really out of control. Cro had said magical webs were the causes of many horrible problems. Some that went untreated for decades because people moved away, and then someone else would inherit the problem, or muster the courage to find what had happened to the area and eventually restore it to balance. Walter had dealt with places with balance being dominant. Now he realized this was one of those nasty spells that would have parents telling scary bedtime stories to their children. Walter hadn't caused this spell he knew. But he'd be a pathetic excuse for a wizard even if he was only starting the profession. Walter went back into the inn and tried to locate the girl. He asked around and then realized that the inn was less populated. Where had the villagers gone?

Walter rushed outside and eyed a few villagers traveling to a well situated near the center of town. Near the well the villagers were all yelling and bickering with one another. When they saw Walter they seemed angry. Walter suddenly realized he was being suspected. He'd wanted to inquire as to what the situation was, but realized he would more likely be bound and tried, maybe even executed. Walter had no intention of being hanged for witchcraft. He'd always wondered how many of the Salem witch trial victims had been real witches. That really didn't matter he soon realized. It was just a question of who was a witch that was causing problems. True he was a wizard, but that didn't merit suspicion or guilt. But these were people who needed either a solution or a scapegoat. Walter decided he'd like to be the former. The scapegoat didn't really have a fun job. And he also figured sometimes the scapegoat was the solution. If he cleared up the incident, maybe they'd take a liking to the good things a wizard could do.

Walter had just eaten, so running was a pain. But he went in the direction of the hungry forest. It got louder as he neared it. And he soon saw that the crowd that had started chasing him was now watching from a safe distance away. Some of them had weapons. So Walter had two choices. Fight a bunch of angry villagers, or fight a hungry forest. A wizard that attacked a village that was then attacked by a forest. That would be a scary fairy tale. A wizard who stopped a forest, seemed more PG and the kids would feel safe knowing that somebody in the world tried to stop the monsters sometimes. Walter listened because he wanted to be sure that he wouldn't attack without at least trying to understand the situation. Cro said it was important to conserve energy so Walter tried a simple flame spell. The vine it hit sprung forward with greater speed and growth. Great! Walter thought. A plant that likes fire. He tried an ice one next. It did slow the vine down, but it was still growing and moving, just slowly. Walter was scared, he'd never dealt with a monster before, let alone one that was liking his attacks. Walter then remembered what Cro had said, there were three ways to hex. On the enemy, on self, and on the environment. Walter thought about making it rain or hail, but if ice helped the vine, then water would still help it. And fire had the same effect. Walter had an idea though. The vines needed energy to grow, so if he could make the surrounding area void of energy, the spell that was enticing the vines would shrivel up along with the vines. Walter etched a rune circle around him and prepared to do an extraction spell. It pained him to take the energy away from the trees and grass and all nearby but he had no choice. It was either a portion of the forest and village or the entire thing. Walter sat down and meditated the spell then shouted it out loud.

"ES KEP"

The villagers didn't understand what he'd said and that was because Walter used his English as much as possible in the spells. The runes were the Andoish ones, but Walter still vocalized in English and Andoish because at least that way the spells would be complete and not halfbaked and butchered by his awful weeks worth of study. The spell caught hold and began taking the water out of the surrounding area. Walter figured if giving water or fire made it stronger, then taking it would have the opposite effect. And it did. The grass and trees shriveled and died all around Walter, and the vines that were almost within an inch of Walters' legs stopped. The villagers watched in awe as the vines began dying further out from Walters' seated location. Soon the entire thing was a heap of dead wood and shriveled plant. The water Walter had collected had gathered in the low level land he had been sitting in. The villagers were watching from a small hill and were looking at the strange man who was now in a small lake of water. Walter shouted the earth rune and the earth beneath him created a fissure and the water disappeared, except that which dripped from Walters' tunic and clothes. Walter then directed the earth to close up again, and made a path for the water to reach the well at the top of the hill. The well began to overflow, but then Walter enlarged the aquifer he had just made and the water subsided till the well was full almost to the brim.

The last thing Walter did was test to see that the spell had left the dead vines. Breaking a piece off Walter set it on fire and it burned into ash. Walter then torched the entire mass and it burned magnificently. When it had burned a good two thirds Walter chanted the Air rune that would make it rain and the fire was put out by the time all the vine had been burned away. The villagers at this point were amazed by this man in green who had obviously just saved their village, added several months of water to their well which would make it easier to find and dig a new one when it dried up. And had single handedly cleared out a large sector of the entire forest.

Among the crowd a young man named Krell had been at the inn watching Walter the entire time. Having not suspected him, but being curious to who he was and how he had just done all that he had just did. It was Krell who came up to Walter clasping Walters' hand with his own and thanking him in Andoish. Walter bowed and eyed the man, and then Krell asked his name but Walter declined and realized he'd better leave before he became the town hero for longer than a few days. Walter had just slain his first beast and realized that he'd have a lot of service to do to make up for the large amount of forest that had just sacrificed itself for the village. Walter told Krell in his best Andoish to take care of the forest, and to keep the surrounding area as a field should another attack occur in the future. He also tried to say build a shelter to protect the villagers. But had to use the word for academy in its place with the word protect. It gave Krell the impression that they were to build an academy that taught how to protect the village.

Having left Krell with the instructions, Walter decided that he would try to go home since if he stayed, more troubles might arise, and he was in no condition to deal with them. Walter stepped away from the crowd and tried his best to mimic the spell Cro had done a few days before that had taken them to the castle. Walter focused on the castle as much as possible but also couldn't help thinking about Drey and Cro who were on the battlefield moments ago. In an instant Walter vanished and the crowd all were struck with wonder. Krell relayed what he thought the man had said and the crowd all cheered in joyful agreement that they would build this academy and train their children in the ways of this man who had obviously tried to rescue them, even if the cause of the attack was unknown. Krell was more determined than all of them to learn this power because he knew that this stranger had risked his life for a bunch of people he did not know. If he was willing to do that, who knew what wonders he did for those he loved and cared about.

The next day the town set to work clearing the land and building the academy one brick at a time. It has a difficult task, but the entire village helped. The village population was small, but they finished it in a relative short amount of time. But the tale of the light green wizard spread from the village of Andor into the distant lands. Travelers came to Krell and the village to study what they were trying to reverse learn from the incident. The words he had spoken, the runes some of them found in the circle he had drawn, and the wearing of tunics and the holding of staffs. Krell quickly figured out the earth, fire, water, and air runes Walter had used. When he found they stopped working he went into the forest closed his eyes and did as Walter had done. In time he understood listening, and since Walter had saved the village serving was second nature to the people of Andor. Soon Krell and others were masters of the first three principals of magic. And with their deeds of service Andor began to thrive more and more. As the population grew, the need for a larger academy became a regular project. Every few years the academy grew in size. An additional hall, tower, or storage room was added until it was the largest building for hundreds of miles.

Krell became a legend of sorts because many came to see him as the founder of the art. Krell knew this wasn't true and cited this constantly. People whispered about it, but the witnesses soon grew senile or passed on. Krell was the last of them to die, but he had told his sons and daughters the story many times to make sure they always kept watch if the hero who had saved their village ever returned or was heard of in other lands. Krells' sons kept the legend bright in Andor, which later became Ando to emphasize the protection rune, which eventually led to the fourth principal being added to the academy records and lessons. Krells's sons aspired to learn what their father had yearned to learn. He told them what the green stranger had done and how they had to learn how to do those spells. Disappear, slay anything that threatened the land. And so they tirelessly studied. Soon the academy had become an organization and that led to the duels and hierarchy. The villagers didn't mind for a time, but eventually the academy heirarchy became too involved in the affairs of the people. So the villagers elected an official who was not an academy graduate. This led to the government that eventually became a monarchy when the governors' family continued to reign in relative peace. This was largely in part due to the emphasis on protecting the village and sticking your neck out for strangers. Wizards became respected even more, and so the first king of Ando appointed the strongest wizard as the guardian of the town to hold the hero in remembrance for all time.

Eventually those wizards erected the castle, teeming with power to protect the realm. Almost like a second sanctuary in case the academy needed the additional help of the villagers and knights who still adapted the deeds of the hero to their own activities. Not everyone was an enthusiast of the guild of mages. But the entire realm agreed that were it not for the hero and his skills, the forest would've engulfed the land, if not the entire realm in search of whatever it was that it had sought. For the first few decades there was much peace in the realm. But sometime after that, the land of Ando entered the second chapter of its' encounter with forces that magic to them seemed to have been sent to them as a protection. Cro read these stories a lot as a child and student at the academy. The age of Giants and Demons.

Ch. 18 Walters' Roommates

Cro hated himself for being off guard during his moment of usefulness. He hadn't anticipated being attacked by a force other than Walter or Rye, and now it had happened. Just another lesson to learn by sad experience. Cro would've continued his self punishment had he and Princess Drey not found themselves in an odd looking room. The place was very cold for one thing, and littered with books, clothes, a large mirror, and a desk with a large volume in the middle opened to the most recent entry on the left, and a blank page on the right, which would obviously be filled in time. Cro sat himself down and began to analyze it, making sure to turn it back to the current page should the owner return at any minute. Drey eyed the mirror and was impressed how large and superior it was to the hand held one she used back at the castle. Cro had a hard time reading the entry, but that was mostly because the page was about it being hot outside, and something about deliveries and packages. Cro figured it was nothing more than a business archive until he saw the name on the front in gold letters. Walter Redd.

Two words that together made perfect coherent sense to Cro now. He could read Walters' name because he had etched it into his mind the moment Walter said it to him back at the academy. He had tried to learn English with Walter, but could only learn so much because Walter didn't have any books for Cro to read, just a few scribbles on paper and in the dirt and sand, which was scarce in the forest. Cro restored the book to its original state and began scanning the room. This must be Walters' world, and this was where Walter had lived before coming to Ando. Cro had to keep himself calm because he had dreamed about visiting this place. Only he had hoped Walter would be there to guide him through it. Instead he was here with Drey and he knew that sooner or later they would have to leave because Walter was in trouble somewhere and was counting on Cro to some degree to help by either protecting Drey or following the duel he was supposed to call time on. Cro decided he would at least study the room, but nothing beyond that. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble in some world unknown to him. Walter would lecture him, or worse, Cro would get into some trouble where his magic was useless and then Walter would have to be the one to save them if he ever got back here or came searching for them.

Drey had started already with the exploring of Walters' room. She looked at the pictures on Walters' walls and was amazed at the detail. She went up to the air conditioner and was puzzled as to how the wind was being made, and at such a cold temperature. Cro listened and realized that this entire room was booming with all sorts of magic. It was just magic Cro didn't sense very much. The magic wind spell was the least of their problems. Cro pulled what appeared to be a door and found that it was in fact a door to a box full of cold air and what seemed to be ingredients and potions of some sort. Cro grabbed an odd transparent gourd that appeared to have a white liquid that looked very much like milk in it. It turned out to be precisely that. Cro was delighted, the beverages were cold, and rightly so in order that they would spoil slower. Cro knew that meat didn't go bad as quickly in the winter, and found that in this door and the one next to it, winter was somehow being preserved so that it could keep the food from spoiling. The wizard who had done this must've been smarter than most. Cro got an even bigger shock when he entered another room and found that a metal lever produced a seemingly endless supply of water. Walter had his own private well, and a room where winter seemed to be at his disposal at anytime. Why on earth would Walter ever want to leave a place with so much magic? Just another long list of questions Cro would ask Walter if and when he got back. Drey was frightened when she pressed the odd white outgrowth on the wall, but found that moving it up and down made the ceiling go from having suns to having darkness. Cro was starting to get very mad at Walter. He had control over night and day in his room, and somehow he had convinced himself that he couldn't do any of the things he wanted Cro and Rye to teach him.

Cro turned off the small suns, closed the winter room, and turned the artificial river off and prepared to leave. Walters' abode had wowed Drey and Walter enough. If they went outside they'd have heart attacks, Cro was sure of it. Cro knew getting home would be pricey, but there was no way they could risk being here any longer. The dangers were unknown, and Cro vowed he'd only come back if Walter filled in the questions he asked. Cro was preparing to draw runes on the carpet, which was the entire floor instead of a small square mat when he heard a noise at the apartment door. Cro darted into the closet with Drey knowing he'd never finish the spell in time. Before the key turned to unlock the apartment, Cro instructed Drey to not make a noise no matter what. Both gotta shock when they saw Walter walk in. An older Walter, the one who had shown up at the castle with Rye nine days ago. Peering through the gaps in the closet, Cro and Drey watched as Walter made it daytime, removed his shoes, prepared a meal from the winter box. Used the river while using a brush on his teeth. That confused both Cro and Drey, and finally saw Walter sit at his desk just starting at the clock and writing an entry in the large tomb.

This Walter was strange, not just because he rubbed white foam on his teeth. But because he was melancholy in appearance and face. Cro had never seen Walter like this. It made Cro wonder if there were some kind of war or plague outside that was making Walter so miserable. Cro was eager to talk to Walter, as was Drey. But Cro knew that this Walter hadn't met them yet, he'd neither recognize them or be able to speak Andoish with them. Their English might work, but their story would be difficult for him to believe, and even if it did excite him and he asked to come along. That was already going to happen. The worse thing Cro imagined was bringing this Walter home and then finding another Walter showing up in the same place. That would complicate things. So in spite of the temptation to ask Walter about his world, Cro stayed silent. Cros' answers were all right in front of him, and yet if he tried to obtain them, he would ruin everything. He'd never meet Walter, at least not the Walter that would train him. Or worse, Rye would summon another Walter or some other thing to Ando. The possibilities were terrifying and tempting at the same time. Cro almost found himself trying to feed the Walter at his desk ideas, but stopped himself. Walter had promised answers, this at least was a little more than Cro had ever hoped to get.

What happened next had happened only minutes ago both to Walter and Rye and Cro and Drey. Walter had torn a page out of his book and then vanished. Drey ran out of the closet because she finally couldn't resist not trying to tell Walter everything again. But she had been too late, and Cro eyed the torn sheet Walter had just written. He tried reading it out loud for Drey to try and understand. Cro was stunned, this entry was different than the boring ones. Walter was upset, sad, and it really did sound like he was invoking some spell for the very first time. One that had all his emotions in it. Emotions that were sad, dark, eager to find relief. But if so, why had they found Rye? Even stranger, the thing Walter wanted had been in his closet of all places at the moment he wanted it. And the spell had taken him away from the very thing he wanted. Cro knew this was some serious magic working several wills at once. But there was a plus to Cro and Dreys' little adventure. Walter had vanished but not without leaving a trail. Cro knew Walters' scent, even if it was a younger and yet older Walter. Cro could use it to get them home. But he'd be sure to make it the correct time so they would not appear in front of Rye like the Walter who had just begun his journey.

Cro was content. The first half of Walters' life was no different from Cros'. He had wanted something more to happen, wanted a chance to be a part of something that he would never forget and never regret. Cro was mad at himself one last time for ever trying to judge Walter who had suffered just as much as him, only in some world where the magic didn't appeal to him, and his true desire was just to be with someone who would explain it to him clearly. Cro felt spoiled. Walter had opted to stay with Cro when he asked. Now Walter was off battling Rye somewhere not because he didn't care about Cro and Drey, but because he and the person who had just sent them to Walters' world wanted them safe and alive for them to see one day. Cro vowed he'd save Walter to Drey. Drey nodded her faith in Cro. Cro brandished his wand, wrote the runes into the carpet, and they vanished the same as Walter. It turned out later that the rune circle in Walters' apartment had been what had led the neighborhood into thinking that Walter had been studying the occult and suffered dearly for it. The police investigator photographed it, but didn't think much of it. It took a few days but Walters' landlord eventually did rent the apartment out again. This time it was some genuine believer in the occult who thought the apartment might be a hot spot for supernatural activity. He wasn't disappointed when he had tried writing the rune circles that had shown up in the tabloids a while back. He had some of the runes backwards and perhaps that was why Walter ended up in his apartment, completely redecorated, and with some imo goth on the ground looking up at Walter in his green tunic and staff.

Ch. 19 Ryes' Experiments

Back in Andor village Rye was heading in the dead of night to the village to spy out any information he could find on red wizards. He was surprised to find the village in an uproar of celebration. Rye wasn't too concerned for the food and dancing so he just concealed himself and listened to the babblings of both elder and drunkard. Apparently Walter had vanquished Ryes' little spell and had saved the village. Rye didn't listen much after that, nor did he care because it meant Walter had escaped this place, and had suffered very little from the hex vine. Rye did spy out the place to see where Walter had been and found that Walter had indeed left the vicinity. Rye was sure Walter had tried to go home. So it was only a matter of following his scent, then he'd be in the same place as Walter. But then Rye had second thoughts and decided it was time to attack Walter directly. The environment had failed, so it was time to get Walter himself. Sure Walter had one little spell that evaded Ryes' knowledge, but two could play at that game.

Rye stayed in Andor for many weeks formulating a new spell that would make him more than a match for Walter. Since the vine had failed, Rye decided it needed to be something less limited by the environment. Even if Walter altered the realm it would still prove threatening and powerful. Rye wouldn't test such dangerous spells on himself so he decided he'd have to have a few test subjects. He'd have to take them back of course, erase their memories, and try again the next day. Otherwise there'd be a string of disappearances and a man hunt for him eventually.

It was long and boring waiting for night to come so Rye could kidnap the local beggar or some village drunk but he did it successfully, and soon was having regular test sessions each night. It was draining at first, so Rye allowed himself two days to replenish his magic, and then one night of testing spells. The weeks were nothing to Rye because each spell he tried got better and better. And yes they did spiral out of control sometimes but Rye was up to the challenge of untying the knots he made. In the end Rye had a few spells that began to show promise. Spells that made subjects more animal like and beastly. Others that made the subject magic proof in very creative and specific ways. Even ones that made the subject ethereal and border between life and death. Let's see Walter take on these things when we meet again? Ryes' final spell was an enlargement one and he planned to use this one on himself if the subject showed no side effects, and if the spell was reversible. If it wasn't, Rye might never return to normal and he didn't want to have to change his lifestyle. He was trying to get his old one back. When Rye used a spell he made sure to use the same subject. Otherwise multiple spells would conflict with each other and make the subject harder to control and subdue. So Rye had to kidnap a new victim that night. When the testing was done the subject grew to fifty feet in height. And Rye after much effort got him back to his original size. Rye was satisfied and prepared to leave Andor and go get Walter. He found the spot Walter had left, and though it had been weeks used it to find Walters scent and current location so he would be taken there. Walter had been gone without Rye for some time. Rye wondered what he might be up to. But he would soon know.

Rye left Andor doing things that would forever immortalize the students at Krell academy. While Rye assumed his subjects had been useful and completely restored by his mastery. To the villagers the list of incidents became longer and longer. Villagers became monsters, and their bites infected others with the same warped magic. Creatures yet to be identified acquired fierce names and began terrorizing the village and soon the neighboring realms. The villagers pleaded with Krell and those who had only just begun to understand the first three principals to protect them and do something to combat the new dark forces. The stress to study magic grew many fold those past few weeks. Krell and the others who took up the mantle soon made names for themselves killing ghastly creatures of all sorts of descriptions. When the elements failed to kill every kind of beast. Krell and his fellow learners combined them and mixed them to create new spells and new techniques. Eventually they even went as far as to enlist soldiers who were imbued with magical weapons, and elixirs designed to assist in eliminating the demons and ghouls. Krell and the academy became renowned throughout the realm for being able to stamp out these nightmares that didn't seem to have spawned from any known source they could find or locate. But Krell and the students remembered the green hero who had risked his life to save their village and were confident that if he showed up he'd be trying his best just as they should. It was their village anyway, so they felt even more obligated to protect it than have some stranger do it for them. Sadly though, many neighboring kingdoms did not have such luxuries as Andor did and so Krell and his students found themselves being called to near and far away lands to deal with the problems that others had admitted they couldn't solve themselves. But the tales brought courage to the other lands. Soon Krell had his own tales to tell along with the green hero. Ven managed to solve the giant problem by learning spells to attack the mind in specific. Krells sons Sed, Gaf, and Tre became exceptionally famous for learning how to slay beasts through the use of enchanted silver, potions, and not stopping at killing the pests, but studying them and learning how to cure them without using lethal force.

They wrote down their adventures and what they had learned and soon the academy had an extensive library from which remedies, spells, and cures were copied and sent to the nearby lands to assist them whenever a disturbance lurked in the area. Ando became a safe haven for the rest of the realm. Many sent their children there to study if only for a short while. By the time Krell was a grandfather most of the creatures that now were well known to both villager and wizard were frequent, but not feared the way when they first appeared. The knights had trained themselves to deal with these abominations. And the wizards were encouraged to get field experience since it was a hope of theirs one day to rid themselves of every last monster that inhabited the vicinity. Through it all the people of Ando wondered about the evil that had entered the realm. And how just as the green hero had told them long ago to prepare and protect themselves from future attacks, his advice had saved them yet again even without his being there himself. Krell sorrowed that the hero was nowhere to be found, and on his deathbed entrusted his sons and their sons to keep pursuing for that great wizard who was surely protecting them somehow someway with magic that would eventually rid the realm of every wicked atrocity that came to destroy them and their childrens' children. Krell died never getting to see the green hero again. But his sons worked dutifully to keep the academy a place of protection and learning, and prepare themselves if the green hero should ever return and give them more help than he already had.

Their tales of bravery and sorcery inspired many to become knights who wielded the weapons of Ando, or mages who went about scouting and protecting the realm from the forces of evil. Always Krells' sons pointed to how important it was to serve and protect the weak and pursue strength in defense of the defenseless. They were troubled times, but the mages kept studying and the knights kept training, and eventually the realm slowly regained peace, one victory at a time.

Ch. 20 In Jail

Walter had his eyes wide open when he found he was in a shrine to Tim Burton or Ozzy Osbourne. The new roommate was either a former inhabitant of the place, or even more likely the new occupier since Walter had been gone at least ten days missing in this place. Walter just hoped the man didn't call the police cause then there'd be a lot of paperwork, and maybe a court summons to discuss rightful ownership and a bunch of things that no longer concerned Walter in his home world. Walter also figured that this guy whoever he was just playing with fire. Walter saw the rune circle that had obviously grabbed him before his spell could take him back to Drey and saw it was Cros' handwriting traced over. It was much nicer than Rye's and the runes were always written small cause Cro was skilled in shedding time off spells and enchantments. Walter wanted to ask the goth if he had already seen Cro and Drey, but the rune circle made it clear that Cro was gone, and rightly so if this guy had shown up and Cro didn't want to make the news as Walter might have when he disappeared. Walter wasn't sure if his magic had brought him here, or if this pessimistic black makeup freak had done it by some fluke. But as long as he was home he'd replenish enough so that at least he'd have a little more magic wherever he ended up next.

The imo was about to speak but Walter beat him literally to it by hitting him very hard on the head with his staff. Not really a spell, but hopefully it would give Walter enough time to leave and get out of here. Walter felt slightly bad for taking a wad of twenties out of the Goths pocket, but he had inconvenienced Walter, and it only seemed fair that if he was gonna be stuck here until he felt more charged, he might as well go eat out at a real restaurant, wash his clothes, and then maybe come back only to find Cros' scent and follow it back to Ando.

Walter got ready to exit the creepy looking apartment and put a temporary binding on the rune circle so that it would be there ready to use when he got back. Anyone who tried to even look at it would not be able to move for at least twenty four hours. Not so short that it could become public, and not so long that the victim would die of thirst, hunger, or a bathroom attack. Walter just hoped it didn't come to that if it happened. Walter would've used his own cash but the apartment was no longer his. The only thing that remained that assured him it was his was the AC and fridge, and those had been there when he bought the place. Walter checked the state of his temporary acquaintance and was certain he'd recover by the time he got back. If he remembered what had happened, he'd just erase his memory of the whole incident, and be sure to do something about the rune circle so it didn't drag him back here in the future.

Walter realized his tunic and staff were not the thing to be wearing at this time so he removed them as soon as he exited the apartment. He then had to scurry back into the now satanic monument and borrow a change of clothes and shoes from his unconscious roomy so he could wash his own clothes. He carried his clothes with him in a bag with him as he located the local laundry facility. He had only twenties so he stopped at a convenience store, and bought a coke and got some dollar bills and quarters in his change. Walter had a lot to think about as he washed, and then dried his clothes. How long before he tried to get back to Drey? If he should check on his folks? Walter decided a high calorie meal at a nice restaurant or even McDonalds would make the minor setback worth it. He changed back into his shirt and pants and was tempted not to put on the Goths Airwalks. Just for a while thought Walter, I'll be back in Ando real soon. Walter found a place to eat and thoroughly enjoyed himself thanks to the Goths' sixty dollar donation. When Walter had finished he prepared to head back to the apartment, but got a nasty sensation all of the sudden. Somebody had activated his newly made trap. And it wasn't the goth. Rye.

Rye expected to be in Ando as much as Walter had. But unlike Walter, Rye was curious about the place that now held him prisoner. It wasn't Ando for sure, but it couldn't be Walters cause it was just too scary to be Walter. Rye eyed the oaf on the floor who was coming to. Rye would get to the bottom of this by asking this fool. Rye waited impatiently for the oaf to quite touching his head and asked him where this was. The guy started jabbering in Walters' language. Rye was upset at realizing the complication at hand, but also amused that he was in Walters' world. The one with the power to destroy cities at will. Then Rye realized that any plan to use Walters' world was wrought with obstacles and problems, all stemming from the sad truth that he couldn't speak inglish as Cro called it. Then there was the binding on the circle. Probably Cros' cause the handwriting seemed like his. Or rather it was a traced version of Cros' handwriting. The binding was strong and Rye sensed the magic weakening. He'd be free in a while so there was no hurry to rush into any other traps that awaited him here. All the while the guy wearing make up was talking and exclaiming things Rye had to guess. Rye got sick of it and decided he'd heard enough. Rye put him to sleep with his wand and Rye was much relieved that he didn't have to deal with the buffoon.

Walter was at a crossroads. If he attacked Rye while he was trapped he could end all this business and get back to Cro and Drey. Or he could high tail it out of there and let someone else deal with Rye for a change. Walter would've liked to run cause he knew if he did use the rune circle Rye was trapped in, he'd just be behind him a moment later. If he tried to get back to Ando through alternate means, at least he had a chance of not bumping into Rye for a while. But that was the problem. Running away would make the duel drag on, and Walter had seriously had enough with the relocation, the vines, and now being in a situation where attacking Rye would get things heated up. Rye was pursuing, Walter had been trying to play defensively like Cro taught him. Problem was the duel forbade killing. So Rye had to surrender or be subdued long enough for the duel time limit to run out. Problem was that was Cros' call, and neither Walter or Rye was near Cro to ask how much time was left. Walter needed to find Cro and either end it through him, or he had to deal a heavy blow now to Rye and then go find Cro. Walter knew what to do. Rye was vulnerable at least for another hour, even if he shed off some time trying to speed up the temporary binding. Walter spent a few good minutes coming up with a plan to keep Rye here just a little longer, and had to insure that he would follow him. Otherwise he'd raise hell here and Walter or the National Guard would have to do something about him.

Walter finally had an idea. He found a pay phone and called the police telling them his address and that somebody had broken in and had a hostage. If Rye used magic, he'd just be weaker when he got back to Ando. It was true he might hurt some innocent people, but he was going to do that wherever he went. Plus the police had sworn to serve and protect just like Walter. No harm in getting a little help from home one last time. Walter stayed close by to be sure Rye didn't leave the apartment and to make sure the police got to the right address. When interviewed Walter said he had been on his way to a comic book convention and had noticed a disturbance in the building. Some guy in green had struck a man in black who lived in the apartment, and was now inside with the door closed. The statement was technically true. A man in green had hit the man, it just wasn't Rye. And it was true that Walter was on his way to a comic book convention of sorts. One that if all the other geeks found out about, they'd hit the ceiling about as high as Walter when he finally realized it was the real deal. The police told Walter to hang around for the conclusion of the situation but Walter insisted he was running late. He gave the officer his parents' address and phone number, and said they could call once they had the matter resolved. It had the desired effect. Walter put on his outfit to make his alibi convincing, thanked the officers and started in a jog to the nearest ally. This time Walter was gonna concentrate hard so that nothing would cancel or modify his travel spell back to Drey. Walter realized he would be very exhausted in the next place he ended up in. So wherever he went this time, there would be a long stay. And not like a few hours waiting for a plane transfer. He would be there a good month, or he would be throwing his staff like a javelin at whatever the danger was. But Walter stayed calm and did as before, he wrote the runes on a cardboard box he found in a dumpster. This time he'd take the runes with him and leave no trace of a circle in the alley. Walter poured his feelings into the spell, thinking about Drey and the fastest way to get to her. A gust of wind picked up and Walter vanished in a whirlwind of garbage.

Rye sensed Walters' disappearance and that only made him free himself immediately after Walter had left. When he exited the apartment he saw a lot of weird dressed people pointing little black clubs at him they were holding upside down. Rye wasn't worried until they did something so he prepared to walk and wait and see how they responded. In an instant a booming voice started jabbering in Walters' language and Rye was curious to how he was making his voice louder and echo like. Big deal. Loud talking was a weapon weak people used, and Rye never had to use force and yelling to get his way. He could toy with his prey, and it would be fun. Rye almost fed them the suggestion to try and make a move and see what happened. Rye was on the opposite side of the building he had exited when he saw more guys with clubs. Long ones. Rye sensed power in them, but couldn't decide if it was earth or fire element based. Whatever, they weren't using it so Rye kept walking. They shouted a few phrases at him, but he couldn't understand it with so much screaming.

Rye knew he had to get some distance if he was going to track Walter so he prepared to go invisible when he was hit in the back with a canister. The container spouted a white smoke that was literally making Ryes' eyes burn in pain. Rye was grabbing his eyes, trying to dilute them with his gourd. Rye would've fought back but he couldn't see and they were tossing two or three more canisters at him. Rye was having trouble focusing, and then realized too late that his arms were being bound behind his back. Rye was glad to be out of the smoke. He also wanted to know what wizard had used that potion that would certainly cause problems even for a giant or a dragon if it hit its mark.

Rye found himself being hauled away in a carriage that moved very fast and was made of metal. He'd seen these when he probed Walter a few months ago so he wasn't surprised as much by it as the white smoke that made a person hurt and cry at the same time. Rye got flustered when they took his tunic, staff, wand, gourd, his two potions, and above all else his spell book. Rye was not gonna have any of this. He tried fleeing and binding people as he tried to get his things back in the storage room they were being placed in, but was wrestled to the floor by three guys, and then felt a sharp pain in his arm as they gave him a sedative. Rye knew about poisons, but whatever they gave him was working incredibly fast, Rye finally succumbed to the drug and was out for a good two hours.

When Rye awoke he was in a room with a mirror. He also found that he had been strapped into a white sweater that made it so he couldn't use his arms. Rye gathered his thoughts for a moment and then it finally dawned on him. These are soldiers and knights from Walters' world, they captured me and they've imprisoned me. But why? Well the first reason would be he had defied authority, even in Ando disrespecting the knights was not a light thing. The knights risked their lives in defense of the villagers so nobody questioned them when they asked the villagers to comply with their simple requests. It was unreasonable requests that got knights into trouble. Rye really didn't have a choice though. Even if he did speak inglish. There was no way he would comply to an order from these soldiers if it didn't agree with Rye.

The whole incident was yet another humiliating moment for Rye. Walter was gone, and now he was in prison, and worse, a prison where he didn't know the rules and didn't speak the language. Rye soon found out though. In the slammer they made him take an English class. Rye didn't learn it well but enough to learn the rules and a few basic phrases to survive while he replenished his magic. Rye was done being weak. He had exhausted himself trying to escape and get his belongings back over the weeks in jail. But the more he tried to leave, the longer his sentence got he soon found out from the inmates. So Rye played the waiting game. He waited till he'd have a good sized amount, and then it would be a breeze to get his belongings back and chase after Walter. Each time Rye learned a new trap the prison had, and soon he knew all of them. The guards, the dogs, the eyes on the ceiling that told them if a prisoner wasn't in his cell. The fences, the clubs, but for some reason they never used them on Rye. Rye almost wondered if they contained the power that Rye had sought. He wanted to at least learn to use one. It turned out in Walters' world these clubs were called guns and fired pieces of metal that could penetrate armor. Rye was intrigued and asked how he could get one. The other criminals stayed away from him after that, but once in a while they tried to ask when Rye was escaping. Rye liked this idea, especially if he could get them to do all the work for him so he didn't have to waste a single spell if not needed.

Rye hated prison except for the sessions with a psychologist who was always asking Rye questions about his upbringing and why he had tried to escape before serving his full five month sentence. Rye enjoyed these sessions because he asked questions of his own about this world. It helped him practice English. The inmates sometimes ignored him and made fun of him for being illiterate and unable to read Walters' language. That got Rye worked up a few times and he pretty soon had a good amount of people who hated him and feared him in prison. Being inept at something was a new thing for Rye. He had always excelled. And now here he was in a place where his talents were meeting obstacles, all of which originated with Walter who had learned quickly, and had the woman Rye had never been brave enough to pursue beyond eye glances.

The psychologist remarked that Rye had jealousy issues and had no need to compare himself to this Walter. Everyone had his talents, and if there was only one girl in the world then Rye was right and it all was hopeless. Rye calmed down a bit after those chats because he tried to listen. Walter was Walter, Rye was Rye. Except Rye wanted what Walter had, and Walter had it and wasn't in jail. Ryes' parole didn't come up because he was still in a vengeful state and was always ranting about what he would do when he finally got out of here. But Rye didn't care, he already had begun the phases of his escape. The hardest part was locating his possessions. They were smart guards. They moved his stuff where it would be hard to get. But Rye figured if time was what he had he might as well use it. Rye in fact learned the prison system very well and could get people to help him out, otherwise he'd make them suffer from ailments only he seemed to know the cure for. First Rye wanted lessons on how to use and get a gun. This one took patience, but the boils and itches didn't seem to go away when criminals went to the medical wing so Rye fed them his promises of instant relief if they helped him get what he wanted. Any refusal or betrayal and the ailment would return the next day.

Every prisoner soon was in on the fact that Rye was a dark sorcerer. In fact, many prisoners soon found that he was precisely the kind of man that these facilities had been made for. Many prisoners behaved after that, trying to reach their parole dates to get away from Rye. Others ate out of Ryes' hand because they knew how uncomfortable he could make things with his voodoo or whatever mumbo jumbo he was using to torture and cause problems. Rye wasn't stupid though, he made sure to draw less attention when needed, otherwise the guards would move him to solitary confinement where the ability to cause trouble took more concentration and patience. Rye wanted out, and he wanted to do it with a full amount of magic so once he got to Ando, Walter would have less of an advantage. Rye also gave up on the idea of getting one of those large metal towers that could blow up a city. If people in Walters' world were gonna land you in this place because you defied authority. They probably had awful forms of execution for the murderers and creative trouble makers. No, Rye decided he'd like a gun at the very least as his souvenir from Walters' world. With it he'd have an edge, kill Walter without using magic. So even if it was cheating, technically it was a tool that lied outside the dueling arena. Yes the match would be Walters' win, but winning and dying kind of defeated the point of victory altogether.

When the night came that Rye had decided to get his stuff back he tried to be stealthy about it. First he needed a diversion. He had collected dirt from the yard for this and had it hidden in various locations when the need came to use it. And best of all it was enchanted dirt. So even if someone found it, it would always find its way back to Rye. When night came Rye summoned the dirt and it assumed the shape of a human. Ryes' golem was instructed to take out the cameras and the guy in charge of them at all costs. The tricky part was getting some of the dirt into the camera room. Rye had a special batch of dirt that would lull the victim who breathed it in to sleep. It took practice, but Rye eventually got the wind in the ventilation to finally get his dirt to the desired room and subject. If Ryes' cell didn't open it would mean the plan had failed and the sirens were going to blare. The golem found the camera room and the sleeping guard. Opened Ryes' cell, and procured the guards gun and keys as he had been instructed to do if an opportunity came to get one. Rye made sure his cellmate was out of it that night. Last thing he wanted was some idiot to blow the whole thing. Rye didn't need help, just time to figure out his enemy and plan accordingly.

With gun in hand Rye told his golem to release the other prisoners and make sure they all stayed out of the storage area where Rye was headed. The golem hulked on its mission and Rye sprinted to the storage room. There were three in total. And Rye could sniff out his possessions easily. They were on the top level. It would make it harder to escape on foot, but Rye had done enough of that in his spare time here in this dark box. The problem with prison was everybody was watching everybody. So all of Ryes' activities were reported to the warden, and soon Rye couldn't catch a break to write runes or even try to escape with magic. People probed and asked questions in jail. And Rye didn't want to tell another soul anything that he knew cause he wanted to know it alone. He had told Walter just a little, and Walter had used it to full strength. The main reason was Rye wanted to be a full strength and he needed his possessions to do that. If he left them behind, someone would find them and Rye didn't want that.

Rye was overjoyed to find his possessions. When they had confiscated his stuff one of his potions was taken for analysis and Rye sprang into action and tried to stop it. He failed because he received a nasty shock of electricity and he hadn't been prepared for it. Every soldier and guard had some way of stopping him that was new to him. And when he used magic they grew suspicious and wouldn't let him use his arms and sometimes they gagged him. Rye behaved to get those privileges back, but he also didn't utilize magic because then he would lose the freedom. One of his potions remained and Rye gulped it down because he knew he needed it anyway. Plus he had a gun now, and it would make a fine replacement for the potions. Rye dubbed his tunic, eyed his wand, and triumphantly held his staff that had been severely drained in his absence. Rye eyed his pistol as if it made up for any other setbacks the day had thought up for him. He'd blow a hole through its' head, Rye was so tempted to try it but not yet.

The prisoners were all sleeping soundly until Ryes' golem had unlocked virtually every door in the prison except the front gate. The hallways that led to Ryes' location were still locked, so nobody except Rye would be leaving out the staff exit. Rye had been nervous that a guard would check in with the camera room or would see his golem and report it with the strange black bricks they used to talk to each other. But the golem wasn't loud and didn't breath, so the guards were dealt with before they could do or say anything. It all happened in fifteen minutes so eventually when several guards didn't report all clear the sirens went off. But at the same time Ryes' golem had pressed the switch that opened up all the cells at the exact same time the prisoners had been woken up by the shrieking.

The first thing they noticed was that Rye was gone. Instinctively every prisoner except the few who wanted parole to rid themselves of Rye sprinted through every open door and gate in the prison. Complete lock down was instigated, but it was going to take a while to round up every last prisoner. Most of the prisoners did as Rye had thought and went to the outer gate and found it locked. They surrendered when the searchlights and sniper rifles got pointed at them. The few dumb enough to do as Rye hoped and play in the labyrinth of hallways made it easier for him to find his way outside. Rye was just one prisoner, so he wouldn't get special treatment. At least not until they found out he had organized the jail break. Having fulfilled his duty, Rye cancelled his connection to the golem and it fell into a pile of dirt in the yard. It was dark and no one noticed the incident.

Rye wrote his runes in the dark. But he didn't care. The searchlights were preoccupied with the main yard. Besides, Rye was planning to take the dirt with him anyway. Rye finished his preparations and disappeared completely full of power excluding the portion he had used to take him back to Ando. Only problem was he found he wasn't in Ando.

In the morning all the prisoners were accounted for except Rye. The guards who had been attacked said somebody had hit them without making a sound. A trail of dirt was found that made its way to the camera room, down to Rye's cell, through a network of hallways, and ended up in the yard in a large pile. The so called tunnel that Rye had supposedly dug was never found. And that made all the prisoners look for it. Ryes' escape was a mystery, even after they stripped his cell and analyzed the content of the dirt. Ryes' missing possessions also aroused the rumors that he was a sorcerer. Rye became a favorite story in the jail for many weeks. For a while the prisoners tried to mimic Rye in hopes of succeeding as he had in escaping. But in the end, only the prisoners who made parole left that prison. And they vowed they'd get as far away from any state or town that ever had the displeasure of being Ryes' new home or hideout.

Ch. 21 Library Assistant

Walter was relieved to find that he was back in Ando. The forest recognized him instantly and clued him in to what had happened while he was gone. Walter did a good deal of service that day if only to thank the forest for being so understanding. He was in the midst of doing so when he heard a rustling in the bushes. Walter prepared to fight in case Rye had just arrived, but saw through an opening that it was a boy running away. Walter figured he'd follow the boy back to town so he jogged lightly to get to him.

When the boy turned to look at Walter he fell into a nearby stream. Walter got concerned when the boy didn't surface immediately. Walter dropped his staff and the cardboard rune circle, threw off his tunic, emptied his pockets, removed the not his shoes, and then remembered his boy scout training and removed his pants after jumping in. It was scary searching for the boy, but Walter knew he had only a few seconds before it would get even harder. He felt an arm and grabbed hold of it and yanked it up. It would have been impossible if Walter hadn't used his pants as a makeshift life jacket as he had learned getting the lifesaving merit badge. The water pulled them in all directions, but the pants made it possible to stay above the water. Walter made sure the boy was holding on so he could free an arm to grab the bank and get them out by rotating his hips. The kid was safe, and Walter wrung out his pants before putting them back on. The boy was in shock and cold from the looks of things so Walter got things started and tried to calm him down. Then the kid blurted out thanks and asked where the village was. That was the question Walter had wanted to ask, but seeing as he was lost Walter asked the forest. The forest complied and told Walter it was strait ahead, on the other side of the river. Walter didn't mind going around since he would need to dry off but the kid may not want to go with a stranger so he devised and alternative. He found a tree that was nearing the end of its life and asked if it would assist him in helping the boy. The tree hesitated but then agreed if Walter would stick around for the rest of the forest. Walter agreed and the tree fell exactly the way it knew Walter wanted, over the stream making a bridge.

Walter helped the kid over and told him to walk strait to get back to Ando as he called it. When the kid asked why he wasn't going into town Walter explained he'd have to help the forest first. The kid didn't understand, and resumed his eager quest to get back home, which was back on schedule. Walter was in a boy scout mood so he made an old fashion fire, and managed to get by without any dinner. When the fire was big enough he tossed the flattened cardboard box, Airwalks, and dollar bills into it since they didn't really belong here anyway and Walter had no use for them. Walter even tried burning the change, but then decided to bury it and just mark the spot and come back to it in case of an emergency. Walter would've liked a sleeping bag, but went further into the forest and found a grassy hill to sleep on. It was nice actually since it was a starry night, and Walter was just relieved to be back in Ando. Tomorrow he'd go into town, and hopefully it wouldn't be too many days ahead or behind where he wanted to be. If that was the case, Walter would just hide out in the forest until the desired date. Which of course he didn't know, and his watch only made things worse by pointing out that it had only been several hours since he had been with Drey and he was annoyed that so much had happened in so little time.

Walter could handle one more day without Drey and Cro. Tomorrow he'd find them, and hopefully before Rye got out of his binding and any trouble he might've gotten into with the police. Either way Rye was certainly crippled for the moment. Unless of course Rye showed up as an old man the next time they met. If that happened Walter just hoped he hadn't been practicing spells. Walter hadn't had any time to do that with the duel still in full effect. He had to find Cro and hope that he had done enough to Rye to merit a victory.

Walter awoke hungry and aware that yesterday which had been in three places, and three time periods had left him needing time to replenish his magic. Not that he was empty, but any bad habits he developed would make him one charm and incantation weaker than he could be. So Walter tried to avoid using magic for the day. He decided his search for the village could count as his morning jog, and his reward could be breakfast. It wasn't a long walk so Walter was disappointed about that, but at least that meant the kid had gotten home safely.

Walter found the village quickly and saw that the academy was now at half its eventual size and that the castle was also a bit smaller than he remembered. But Walter had done his best, and now he just had to find out when he was. In town Walters' appearance attracted and yet blended perfectly. Some looked at him in awe and whispered. Others didn't seem to care. Walter realized it might be due to the fact that his little incident might have become a local fairy tale or nightmare. Walter would soon learn the answer. Walter tried to enter the academy but was shooed away by the knights out front. Walter asked in his best Andoish what was required to attend the academy, and they replied he had to win a duel. That didn't seem hard, but Walter was already in a duel, so was it really ok for him to enter another one at the same time? Didn't change the fact that he wasn't getting in without a fight with the guards or with someone else. Walter asked if they knew where he could obtain food and the guards laughed at his inquiry. Fine! Walter wasn't deterred, he just thought he'd try and get some honest work so he could eat something was all.

Walter spent a good deal of time that day searching for work so he wouldn't have to stay in the forest too long. The listening and service was important to him, and at the same time he was simply trying to serve the town as much as the forest. If he favored one, he'd get mistreatment from the other. Walter had saved the town once, but the forest had paid for it. Now he was gonna give the forest a break from him except as far as he tried to help it grow and recover from the vines and tree that had just given him an added bonus assistance. Walter found only two jobs that might be up his ally. He could either feed the horses in the castle, or he could organize the library at the academy. While Walter wouldn't mind working in the castle where the wages were better, his real goal had been the academy anyway so he applied to that one. And when he showed his summon for the job to the guards, they eyed him and one of them snugly said that he'd still have to duel sooner or later. What did that mean? Probably just mad I found a way around his sword. The library was smaller than Walter expected, but still it was impressive for the amount of time that had passed since Krells' time. When Walter asked if Krell was alive the librarian laughed at his ignorance. Then Walter explained he was from far away so news didn't always travel like gossip in town. The librarian felt ashamed after that and apologized. It had been decades since Krell had established the academy and the town was actually going to celebrate the academies' anniversary in a few weeks. Walter was glad to hear it and then inquired as to his duties. Not much really. Walter found that most of the wizards didn't read the books. They skipped the listening and service and tried to go strait to the elements. Walter was a little upset but realized he had to give them some credit. Walter dusted the books, and went through them carefully. Eventually Walter requested pages to compose his own book and the librarian consented mostly out of curiosity to see what he was going to write.

First Walter created an organization system for the library. Books weren't in any discernable order and that was annoying for Walter. He put histories in one section he labeled with the hour glass rune. Elements got their own section, which seemed to be the only section visited on a daily basic. Walter then added his own sections. An adventure section where the stories could be found in their exciting forms. Walter added references at the end of each book if the reader wanted to get into the details. The librarian didn't object since Walter was now doing both their jobs. After a month Walter had seven sections in the library. History, Adventures, Elements, Runes, a section where listening and service were combined, a sixth where protection, defense, and offense were combined, and an empty section where Walter labeled it most recent discoveries and theories. The librarian questioned this section and Walter explained that new books would be written and would add and improve the store of knowledge. The librarian named Ler thought it was stupid, but that was before he realized that Walter was finally getting to the book he had been preparing to write.

The organization of the library made Walters' research that much easier. Walter recreated the history for the people. He connected stories, commonalities among the wizards and warriors. He listed the principals so that they'd be easier to grasp and master for the students. Soon Ler found himself reading the unfinished manuscript Walter was writing. Then Ler was curious as to where Walter went when he wasn't in the library. He asked around and found that Walter spent a little money on food at the different inns and then headed out for the forest. That was strange. Ler did eye Walter one time coming back and asked him why he was in the forest. When Walter confessed he didn't have a house Ler wouldn't hear of it. The reason Walter didn't want a house was because he had spent countless days serving the forest and village and was brimming at full strength once again. He was ready to leave and go back to his home as he called it. Ler then suggested that Walter sleep at the academy. True it had no sleeping quarters, but Ler didn't want Walter to not finish his manuscript. It was so much clearer than Krell or his sons' writings. Ler was getting excited and even trying to do what Walter hinted of in his manuscript. Walter agreed to sleep at the school but still insisted that being outside was good for a wizard or the common man. Ler confessed he hid in the library to avoid the dueling that occurred outside on the field and sometimes even within the school. Walter asked why fighting was so popular. And Ler related the tales of monsters that were finally dying down after much labor. Walter had thought the vines were nasty, but he didn't like the story of Ven trying to feed giants, only to have them get tired of the tribute, and then Krells' encounter with winged humanoid freaks that had claws and jagged teeth. Walter went back into the library after that tried to find all the stories Ler was hinting at.

As Ler predicted, Walters' tomb was adding everything. An entire guide to magic. It now mentioned monsters, plagues, every possible scenario Walter could think of where magic could be useful and how. Ler had to tell someone and that's how Krells' son Tre the headmaster found out about Walter. Ler waited till he thought the manuscript was good enough and then showed it to Tre. Tre asked Walters' name, and Ler admitted he had never asked. He had simply asked for the job and done it flawlessly. Tre entered the library and found that it was much fuller than he remembered. He also noticed the sections and above all he noticed the empty seventh section Walter had made.

"Are there any books in this section?" Tre asked

"Not yet, my assistant what's his name said it was for future discoveries and that anyone here could write what they found out."

Tre found a few pages with Walters' messy Andoish handwriting but he beamed when he saw what was on it. Suggestions on traveling spells, walking through time, but that had warnings scribbled by it. Invisibility, super sensory, an even a suggestion of longevity of life. Tre wanted to meet this assistant and find out where he had learned magic if he knew any. Why wasn't he dueling like the others? Tre had so many questions. No one was enthusiastic about magic like this except his father. Tre told Ler to inform him the moment his assistant got back.

Walter was busy eating at the inn, and prepared to leave to try going home in the forest when Ler walked in. Ler knew Walters' commute by that time and told Walter he was to see Tre the headmaster. Walter didn't want to meddle anymore. Being here a month had been hard enough on him since he was still thinking about Cro and Drey and if they were doing ok. Walter realized it would be awkward if he left without a word so he figured going home would be the next thing he did after meeting Krells aged son who was obviously a grandfather by now.

Walter eyed the same pompous guard as he entered the academy. They had an understanding at that point, but still both were waiting for a chance to slice or enchant the other.

"Today." Walter said.

"What?" The knight asked.

"Today we'll see if you can keep me from leaving this place."

The knight was confused at the suggestion, but realized that this was a direct challenge at him. He could fight him now or wait till he came out and try to keep him from leaving. Either way the knight had been secretly hoping to do more than just stand at attention all day, settling at words to be unwanted guests out of the academy.

"I'll see you when you get back." The knight said with a grin.

"Have your shield ready, or it'll be over before it begins."

That last remark was a dart in the knights' shoulder because he realized he didn't have a shield, just a spear. The knight wanted to leave his post, but had to abase himself to asking a student to go to the armory and get him a sword and shield. It was a one time opportunity and the knight was going to enjoy it.

Walter planned to excuse himself if the discussion got boring so he planned a duel with his daily nemesis at the gate just in case he got his way. It would further merit his being expelled or suspended from the academy, which was fine with him. Anything to finally get back to Drey and Cro. The discussion was more of a praise of Walters' efforts than an inquiry of where he learned magic. Walter had been in the library long enough to blame the books as his source of knowledge. There was no way he was gonna reveal he had learned magic from a yellow class wizard who was either an infant at present, or yet to be born in the near future. Tre inquired as to how Walter had obtained a green class tunic, and Walter simply stated that it was a gift from his teacher, and that he was eager to return and continue his training there. When Tre asked what land he hailed from, Walter got nervous and said it was beyond the forest. Tre asked if it was Mutton Hollow and Walter said close enough. Tre didn't know there was a land beyond Mutton Hollow. Walter changed the subject by asking about the most powerful wizards in the realm and where they were currently so he might find them. Tre said he knew of no such wizards, and Walter gave a pretended sigh as if he had hoped to learn more at the academy. Walter said he hoped one day to meet and orange or red class wizard. Tre had never heard of this and inquired about it. Walter explained that from violet to red a wizard advanced in power and skill. Tre liked this idea, it would sort the students into small groups and make it easier to learn magic among peers who were at the same level.

On that note Walter excused himself and said he'd have Ler add it to the library and school curriculum. Ler didn't object cause he hadn't done any real work in a long time anyway. With that Walter prepared to leave. When Walter exited the room he saw his knight friend coming at him fully armed. Walter was glad, and branded his staff and prepared for a quick fight. Walter got caught off guard when the knight lunged his sword at Walter. Walter blocked the blade with his staff that broke in two. Walter quickly grabbed up the sword and the knight grinned and readied his spear.

Walter felt sorry for the knight, but at the same time envied him for what he was about to do for him. Walter knelt and quickly poured the power leaving his staff into the broad sword. Walter incanted the blade would increase the speed and reflexes of the user. And just as Sir Wes came at Walter he slashed his spear in two and pointed the sword at him. Wes got to his knees and Walter demanded surrender. Wes complied and then was surprised when Walter handed him his sword. Walter told Wes it was enchanted with speed and dexterity now and it would serve him better than ten spears. Wes tried for himself and was amazed at the skill the sword gave him. He got so into it that he didn't see Walter get drug away by a small boy onto the dueling field.

Walter recognized the boy he had saved and asked if he was all right. The boy reassured him and said his name was Cro. Walter suddenly realized that maybe it wasn't quite time to go home yet. Walter wasn't sure about teaching Cro but now all those times calling him master seemed to make more sense. Walter began about listening when Cro rudely interrupted him and said he knew it. Really? Thought Walter, let's see. He cast a simple gust at Cro and he got knocked over effortlessly. This wasn't Cro. This boy was at least fifty years away from being the Cro Walter respected.

When Cro got mad, Walter reiterated the importance of listening. This was too easy. Cro fell right into the trap and was now doing what Walter was already well aware he was going to do. Walter realized he might be going too hard on Cro so he helped him out with one of his spells. But when Cro threw fire, Walter knew he had to be careful. There would be no burning a child in front of other wizards. He tried changing the fire into raw magic and managed to do it to his own surprise.

Then Cro said be would listen and Walter got hopeful again. He figured an old exercise would be a good place to start, but found that Cro just liked to argue about everything. That had done it, Walter wasn't gonna teach Cro. He couldn't anyway if this Cro was gonna whine about everything. Walter figured Cro would need some alone time and decided he'd go back to the forest and see if Cro came searching. When Cro complained about him leaving Walter finally made it clear.

"Fine, go and learn it the slow easy way."

Walter knew Cro would try another spell so this time he wanted to try one other thing. He wanted to see if he could take Cros' magic and use it as his own. Walter summoned a branch from a tree to replace the staff Wes had broken. Only after the fact did Walter realize how stupid he was and that he could've just repaired the staff if he was studying just a little harder. Oh well, too late now. Walter let the spell hit his new staff, and Walter found he could do it. By using the staff to read the spell Walter could use his own magic to trap Cros' magic in it, and then modify it enough that he could use it later or moments later. It was a displacement spell so Walter tried to see if it would take him to the forest. He saluted Cro and found himself back at his campsite where he had buried the loose change.

Walter knew he'd win against little Cro, but he was still excited that he had learned two new spells from his duel. It was a shame Walter couldn't go back to the academy, but he knew he couldn't get too comfortable or he'd end up stuck here too long. Walter had a Drey to get to and this Cro had to become the amazing Cro that had trained Walter. Walter decided he'd wait three days to see if Cro came looking for him, otherwise he'd go to Drey who was only a few decades away and zero miles in distance.

Walters' duel with Cro excited the whole school, as had his disappearance. Ler was sad but filled Walters' vacancy as if he'd never been there. Ler did his best to refine the volumes and writings so they became easier to learn and practice. Tre wondered about the green wizard and wondered if he was serious about locating the red and orange wizards as he called them. Tre wanted to go look for Walter or at least go and see if he could find anything to add to the library, but Tre was honestly desirous for the peace he had worked so hard to obtain. He passed the torch to his sons and grandkids to go out into the world if they desired and see if they could learn things beyond the scope of Ando. Some of them did, and when they came back after a year or two in the field, they said it had been an eye opener. They could hear rivers and forests, and they knew the spells that they all had yet to learn.

Cro was in his room studying, and Walter had checked up on him when he was sure he was asleep. Walter forgot his promise to leave because he had to hide his presence from the wizards who were doing precisely what Walter had expected Cro to do. Look for him to train. Walter wouldn't have minded other students, but Walter was also curious as to what Cro was up to. He sensed Cro when he went to school, and when he was at home being grounded in his room. Walter kept himself busy waiting by hiding from the traveling wizard fad his disappearance had caused. He almost got caught a few times, but he was practicing a lot in the forest, and serving and listening up in the mountains and rivers now. The forest he always returned to, but he found just as much to learn from the mountains and rivers as he did from the grass and trees. Walter thought about doing this with Cro. Either one would be fine because Walter was lonely from time to time.

When Cro showed up at Walters' campsite he was surprised because he had thought Cro would be at school. When he saw Cro doing elements he realized why Cros' movements had seemed like trips to school. He had been here listening, serving. It was just that when Walter came back Cro had gone back to the village. They had both been doing the same exercises and that was good. It would make Walters' job easier. Walter told Cro to get a fish, which he eagerly did, before Walter told him to slow down or he'd fall in the river again. Cro was careful, with his feet and his tongue. Walter decided he'd stay a week, just like Cro had done with him, maybe eight since Cro would have to get home before his parents found out about his secret cram school.

Walter drilled Cro on everything he'd learned from him, and things he'd managed to read in the time he had been assistant librarian. Walter did his best to avoid the books because he knew the world was a much better teacher than any talking or eloquence. Walter eventually did take Cro into the mountains to help him get even further with his training. They were safe from the giants because Walter showed Cro how to do some choice charms he had learned while waiting for him. Walters' time in the library had improved his Andoish somewhat and his grasp of the runes. He knew almost all of them at that point. And he had his own little book of spells he now carried since he was starting to have more spells than he could count. His spellbook was only half full which Walter liked. He'd add to it, and it would get full as time went by.

Eventually the eight days were up and Walter told Cro he had to leave on a journey. Cro wouldn't hear of it and told Walter he'd come with him even if he had to leave his parents. Walter forbade him telling him that the village and academy were not to be abandoned. Cro argued Walter did and Walter made it clear that that was precisely why he was leaving. He had to protect his home, which was somewhere else. Cro was about to say something else and then Walter mentioned his wife for some reason. Cro was ashamed of what he had said. This Walter had been his teacher such a short while and yet it seemed like forever. Cro embraced Walter because he wanted so much to stay with his master for a year, no even a single month on some adventure where he'd get more experience and finally move upward beyond his green class, which had been recently instated. Walter assured Cro he'd be back and that Cro would understand everything when the time was right.

Before leaving Walter had Cro kneel and entrusted his staff to Cro, saying it was his and that he hoped it served him well until he gave it back to Walter. Cro was touched by the act and promised he wouldn't lose it. Walter drew a rune circle and began the spell and then realized he had forgotten to dig up the loose change. The thoughts of the change and Drey entered the spell and Walter vanished from Cros' sight. Cro left the forest with his new staff, and revisited the spot periodically waiting for master Walter to come back. He waited a very long time.

Ch. 22 Dreys' Protector

Walter looked around and saw that Cro was gone but that the forest looked pretty much the same. Except then Walter remembered the coins in the dirt and found that the mound was gone. That didn't stop Walter. He eventually did locate and find the rusty coins with the help of the forest that remembered where he had hidden it half a century ago. Walter was bored so he tried transmuting the coins into something. First he tried a knife, but there wasn't enough metal to make one he could hold. Then Walter tried a figuring of Drey. It took a few tries, but Walter succeeded and the spell even purified the metal to make it a shiny, silver figuring of Drey.

Walter entered town in the night, and stopped at his favorite inn to sleep in a normal bed for the first time in a while. The inn looked much different though. The innkeeper thought he was Rye for a moment, but then realized his mistake. Walter decided to remove his tunic since he didn't want Rye around even if he hadn't met him yet. The innkeeper wanted coins which Walter did have this time from all his work in the library. He ate and spent most of the time trying to find out about Ando and what had happened of late. The innkeeper was hesitant at first, so Walter made it worth his while by offering the silver figuring he had made of the princess as a bribe. The innkeeper greedily took it. It seemed greed ran in the innkeepers' family because Walter remembered having had to sell his boots from Drey to a guy similar to him many years ago. Perhaps it was coincidence but the innkeeper opened up about how princess Drey who was the splitting likeness of his statue had been betrothed to a prince in a neighboring realm. Walter asked the name and location of this kingdom and the inn keeper managed to blurt it out before asking why. The kingdom of Gant he had said that lay to the northeast past Mutton Hollow and over treacherous mountains before the forest began on the other side. Walter asked how far away that was and was not impressed when he said a week by carriage. Walter tossed the inn keeper a gold coin and said good night. Walter would need his rest, whether he was going to ride to Gant, or go on foot before Drey got hitched to this prince he was dying to meet and tell him to get his hands off his future wife.

In the end Walter couldn't sleep and decided he might as well get on with it and get to Gant as quickly as possible. It pained Walter to part with all his hard earned gold, but he found a lot of gossip givers who told him the wedding was in five days. Walter wouldn't make it in time so he needed speed and he needed it now. Walter had five carriage rides over the course of three days because he wanted a fresh team of horses for his journey. In the end Walter used up all his gold on those rides. Sleeping and skipping meals as much as possible to get to Gant as fast as he could. Traveling by magic was impossible cause Walter had never been there and couldn't visualize the place. When he arrived with two days to spare he was tired, hungry, and would've been thirsty had his gourd not been refilled recently by a river outside of Gant.

The kingdom of Gant was an amazing site for Walter because it was more industrious than Ando. While Ando had farms, Gant had mines, merchants, and shipping docks. Wealth was everywhere and Walter found that an avid street performer could easily get his lunch money if he did enough tricks. Walter abased himself to this and managed to wow a few spectators until one of them turned out to be a competitor for the crowds gold. The wizard was a local favorite named Zik who challenged Walter to a duel. The wager was winner got all the crowds gold excluding those who were betting, and the other had to stop street performing for two days. Walter accepted and asked that it be a five minute duel. Zik agreed and a small boy was chosen to announce the start of the match.

The crowd backed away but grew in size as all the market got ready for what was going to be the next duel until whenever. Sometimes another duel happened soon after, other times it was a whole week or more. The boy shouted go and Zik tried a spell unfamiliar to Walter. He realized he didn't have a staff and for some reason instinctively took out the flute Drey had given him. Zik laughed at the idea of wooing him with music but was surprised when Walter used the flute as a wand and absorbed the spell, read it while it was in his wooden instrument, and unleashed it back on him with a slight modification, It had originally been a shrinking spell that would make Walter temporarily small. But Walter had learned this with enough time to make it only shrink Ziks' clothes. The crowd laughed loud for the whole kingdom to hear as Zik was choking trying to get his now too tight clothes off. Walter asked Zik to surrender by raising his hand and dropping his staff. Zik complied and the match was over. Walter was about to reverse the hex when he was showered with gold. Apparently no one in the crowd was stingy today so Walter filled his bag to capacity, restored Ziks' outfit, then continued to pick up what was left.

No one else challenged Walter that day, but the cheers went on for quite some time. Walter had never gotten so much attention before, and then caught eye of what he had been searching for this whole time. Drey was a good five hundred feet away in the Gant castle tower watching, but Walter knew it was her, he was certain she had come out to see what the uproar was. Walter then eyed someone else on the tower. Some guy in purple who was putting his cold arm around Drey. Walter didn't have time to celebrate, he was on a mission and unless Rye showed up right now, this was the only thing left to do before Walter got back to his first full day as a married man.

Walter wanted to go that instant, but he couldn't just barge in, and he'd certainly have guards and maybe wizards to deal with. For the present Walter found a place to rest and eat from his fast paced journey. It was a miracle Walter had won a duel so easily. He was actually spent from all that riding. Walter took an afternoon nap, then took a trip to the market to find a replacement staff if possible. It turned out to be harder than he thought. The staffs just didn't seem right each time Walter held it. Walter was about to give up on the errand when the owner ushered him back in to a room behind a pair of curtains.

Walter was shocked. He'd never been to a weapons store before, and here he was inside eyeing an armory of every weapon he could possibly imagine that had been invented before the flintlock pistol. And even more so, these weapons were beaming with life. Etched with runes, and teaming with the love and craftsmanship of the smith who had made them.

"I can see you know what's real and what's just for show."

"Any suggestions?"

The owner grabbed Walters' arm and looked him up.

"You've trained, but not with weapons it would seem."

"First time for everything." Walter knew the owner was just being sincere.

"If it's just a staff you desire, I recommend oak wood, but remember, wood will always lose to metal in close combat. If you are to own a weapon, you must be willing to fight both magic, and brute strength. Magic runs out eventually, brute strength is hard to get rid of thank goodness."

"Perhaps a weapon made for speed then."

"You're not so stupid, even for a wizard. Wizards think that just because they have magic at their disposal that brute strength can't touch them. But a wizard without magic is the first to fall in battle, especially since they don't wear much armor."

"You hint that I should buy a weapon and armor."

"Again you are too smart for one so young."

Walter could've told the owner his actual age but he either would've laughed at the so called jest or would be terrified that there was a wizard who had a lengthened lifespan. Walter tried to ask fewer questions since he realized that the owner was trying to help and make a profit. Walter could use some armor at least, something simple, and he certainly either needed a staff for magic, or he would settle for the flute. Walter eyed the axes, swords, clubs, bows, and other weapons carefully. This was like being married to Drey. Whatever weapon he choose excluded all the others. It was a difficult choice unlike Drey. But Walter knew that the owner was trying to clue him in the present. Magic had gotten him this far, and a lot of chance too. If he was gonna cut a path to whatever his next goal was he was gonna need strength of will and strength of arm.

Walter quickly picked out some leather armor with a metal plate that covered the heart. It wasn't pricy but it also wasn't cheap. Next Walter eyed a short sword. Not the strongest or heaviest weapon, but it would protect well against small threats and the magic could deal with the large ones. It's not like Walter could afford or would want to be hauling a catapault or driving a tank anyway. Finally Walter ended up getting an oak staff. He had just enough money to buy the three items. The owner seemed satisfied with the choices and told Walter he'd throw in a pair of shoes but Walter declined. The owner would've insisted but Walter made it clear that being in tune with nature was that important to him, and he would be in less danger if he detected it and avoided it altogether. The storeowner seemed to agree and simply warned Walter not to expect understanding from everyone who didn't share his passion for being bare foot. Walter said he'd be back if he ever got any more money. The owner said he'd look forward to seeing the items proven in whatever battle they happened to be employed in. With his new staff, and additional items Walter said farewell and let himself out of the store.

The market was calmer now and Walters get up did draw some attention since he was still wearing odd pants and no shoes. Luckily his armor and sword were hidden under his green tunic and Walter had to get used to the extra weight. It wasn't bad, his body could use some training anyway since he was about to go to the town castle and see Drey and hopefully take her away before Barney the dinosaurs' biggest fan gave him trouble.

As always, Walter always tried the peaceful approach into the castle first. When the guards denied him and asked his name he simply said he was here to see princess Drey and that he was her subject. The guards asked for his name again and Walter decided he'd have no choice.

"Cro."

"The guards stirred at the mention of the castle wizard of Ando."

"You are too young to be the great Cro."

"I mean I am his student. And am on orders to protect princess Drey tonight."

"The princess will be safe in the castle we assure you. Anyone caught trying to enter will be caught, tried, and hanged before the sun sets twice."

Walter saw that he was going to have to cause trouble if he even wanted a chance to see Drey before she slept. So Walter left but gave the knights a message to deliver to Drey and the prince.

"Tell my princess and your prince that Ando will not be there when she gets back if she marries within the next three years."

That worked. One of the guards speedily went to spread the message they had just received from the green wizard. Walter excused himself and said should they request his presence at the castle he would wait one day and then he would leave the town. He told them to leave any messages for him at the nearby armory he had just come from and bid them a good evening.

Walter spent the rest of the evening deciding whether or not he should storm the castle and find Drey. He was nervous and scared because he realized that this was technically not Drey, it could be Drey in time. If he didn't do his best then she'd never be convinced and she'd marry this other guy. Walter didn't care even if he was good or bad. He just knew he wanted Drey and had no clue whatsoever how he was going to do it. Drey had been vague, and there were no details, names, or people in the story that were part of the tale she had told him in what seemed an eternity ago. It had been over a month since he last saw Drey and almost a week since he saw Cro in his youth. Walter wondered if maybe he needed to go back earlier to meet Drey. Maybe this was too late. Walter meditated, but then went outside cause the room was too silent. Out on a hill just outside Gant, Walter listened to the mountains, sea, and land.

Walter asked the elements what he had to do to win love. The land seemed to understand his desire and simply said there was always a way even if it wasn't the one intended. The mountain concurred saying that sometimes being a valley was better than being a mountain, even though fewer people admired the valleys the way mountains inspired people. The sea caught ear of Walters plight and said that storms and calm seas were still just moving water in the wind. That the speed wasn't important, just moving in the right direction was important. Rain would eventually come, as would the seasons and the sunrise. It was holding still and doing nothing that was the unforgivable sin that nature never yielded to no matter how fast or slow it did something.

Walter remembered all the years he had waited for someone like Drey. And how he had promised her so much in so little time. Walter knew why he was here. He wanted the easy way, which was to force things. But that was wrong. Forcing only hurt the enforcer and the subject being forced in the end. But not trying was just as bad. You couldn't have something unless you were truly willing to do all you could to have it. Walter didn't doubt for an instant that he wanted Drey, even just a chance to be rejected. No chance was always worse than failure. Failure at least had the courtesy to teach you what you could do the next time. And even if that next time wouldn't be for Walter, at least someone would get a chance, and succeed where he or so many others had seemed to have failed.

Walter decided it wouldn't hurt to at least see Drey even if he didn't speak to her. He'd watch over her, make sure she was safe and happy. He eyed his precious bracelet. He would always protect her, and she would love him. Didn't matter anymore to Walter. He loved Drey already and he'd never betray those feelings he wanted to have for and give her. Walter was done thinking about losing Drey. It wasn't going to happen. Not without Rye or some other creep getting in Walters' way. If he died, at least then he'd have no regrets about not trying.

Walters' message had struck quite a chord in the court of the king of Gant. King Yur and Queen Lain assured him it was just some mad beggar or something trying to cause an uproar. Drey was curious as to why she had to wait three years to marry. And prince Herum assured her that the wedding would commence no matter who objected. Drey didn't really like how he thought he could decide such things. Drey didn't want Ando burned down so she said she would speak with the wizard and discuss reason as to why such a thing would be used as a threat against her. The king of Gant began arguing with Yur about whether he would invade Gant if Ando did burn to the ground. To which Yur replied absolutely not. King Fry was satisfied. And assured Yur if Ando was attacked he'd come to their aid hastily. Drey excused herself saying she didn't feel well and wouldn't be seeing anybody until morning.

In her chamber Drey wept as Walter had never seen her do except when she had embraced him in her room back in Ando. She wasn't ready for this, Walter at least felt that much was true. She hugged her pillow the way she had done with Walter and Walter soon saw that she was very much alone. She wanted to be heard. Wanted to be important. Walter knew all these feelings and he couldn't stand to see Drey so sad. He broke the silence and silently prayed that she would not scream or call the guards, otherwise he'd have to find a truly impossible way to be with her ever again.

"Did you get my message Drey?"

Drey wiped her tears and looked at Walter in the moonlight on the balcony. Walter couldn't miss the tower she had been on. He just hoped it wasn't the princes' room, otherwise he probably would've hexed it.

"You are Cros' student sent to protect me?"

"Yes Drey, I will protect you till I die."

"From what?"

"From whatever pains you, and from anything that you feel is wrong, even if it means I have to go far away to keep you safe."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because you saved my life once."

"I did?"

"Yes, and I don't care what happens to me, I wont see you sad if I can do anything about it."

"You talk as if you know me."

"Maybe I do? Or maybe I want to the way you want to know you are not alone and that you are someones' entire world waiting to express itself to them?"

"Are you reading my mind?"

"Let's just say you told me a lot the day you saved me."

"When was that?"

"Three years from now."

"What?"

"In three years you'll meet me, I wont remember any of this and you'll help me find my way here."

"Impossible."

"No Drey, you make anything possible for me to do."

"Are you saying it's possible to love a complete stranger?"

"I'm saying that two people can choose to be strangers, or choose to be the same so that they never ever get separated by centuries, death, or by being on different stars."

"Are you an angel?"

"Impossible, I'm not as beautiful as you."

"I want to believe you."

"Will you Drey?"

"I don't know."

"I wont make you do what doesn't make you happy. I will protect you if that is your wish. If you wish me gone, I will go, and take it as an expression of your love."

"How would that be love?"

"Love enough to never leave you, love enough to let you go if that is your desire."

Dreys' heart was beating so rapidly she thought she would lose it because it would leap out of her. She approached Walter who got down from the balcony and knelt in front of her. She asked him to rise and asked him to prove he meant everything he said. Walter produced his class ring he had watched over with care all that time and placed it in Dreys' soft hands.

"If you need me, just touch it and think of me and I will hear it. I will come get you and keep you safe. I wont ever be far from you I promise. And one other thing."

Walter kissed Drey and she couldn't stop herself from kissing him back. It was like he had kissed her before and knew how and why she wanted to be kissed. Drey didn't want the moment to end. Walter carried her back to her bed and assured her he'd not let anything harm her. Drey fell asleep and Walter got up wanting to touch her. But he didn't want to wake her. He just wanted her to sleep without crying, and she did. Walter looked at the stars from atop the roof of the castle. He had done all he could. He just hoped Drey decided soon or he wasn't quite sure what he was gonna do with the rest of his life. Walter had put enough of his power into the ring that it would be easy to find even at great distances. Walter almost tried to make it show him what Drey saw. But feeling was enough. Maybe later he'd make a second ring that would enable them to talk to each other? It would take research though, or a trip back home for batteries and a pair of walkie talkies. But those had a five mile limit. And making cell phone payments was pointless except if you were in the right time period and in an area with a signal. Walters' ring would be fine. Walter sensed he needed to leave because the guards had noticed his form in the moonlight. Getting down would be a little trickier than it had been getting up.

When Drey woke she thought she had dreamed. She eyed the balcony and couldn't really decide what had happened last night. Had she cried herself to sleep? Or had she really been visited by one of Cros' students who had sworn his undying loyalty to her whatever it spelled out for him? Either way, Drey felt fine that morning, she got up and undressed. Walter wasn't nearby because last night he had found that the castle was guarded very well. And had managed to dodge an arrow before escaping. But the guards informed King Fry there had been an intruder who was either in town or still hiding somewhere in the castle. Fry told the guards to kill on sight. Anybody who dared enter his castle without an invitation would find out just how much they'd regret it afterwards. It was the strictness of Gant that made it the perfect place for people to get away from bandits and hooligans. And then there were the mountains and forests that were infested with shadows and creatures that made the soldiers even more zealous to keep the town safe. Not that Gant didn't have some wizards, but they certainly didn't have the magical abilities like the ones back in Ando that were so reliable, it bothered Fry.

That was why he wanted Drey to marry Herum. United he'd have a massive army that would be even more powerful once the wizards of Ando became a part of it. Fry was an ambitious king. And hoped his army would sweep out the forest and mountains and eliminate all monsters within it. Then the two kingdoms could unite more properly and the realm would grow without restraint. Problem was his soldiers just came back complaining about the creatures and weird curses that were in the forest. Fry didn't believe the stories but soon found out they were more than just figments of the imagination. Always the soldiers felt that something was in the forest, or it was the forest. It would not be infiltrated unless they burned it with fire with arrows from a distance. Fry was going to begin having his men try once the wedding was complete.

Walter visited the armory after a few performances so he could actually eat. He didn't get as much as yesterday since the crowd was expecting something more spectacular than the classics. Walter didn't care, he just wanted food and to find out if there were any messages for him at the armory. Ber the storeowner welcomed Walter and told him that he was being pursued by the guards and king. Walter asked why, and Ber just pointed out that the king didn't always need a reason. Walter needed to hide, or he needed to leave. Walter said he'd go in the forest, but Ber tried to talk him out of it. Walter insisted there was no danger and that he was friends with the forest. Ber agreed that might be true, but also said that forests were large and some areas were friendlier than others. Walter got interested in how Ber knew that.

"You've been to the west portion of the forest?"

"Indeed, one of the reasons I made my way here. I was once from Ando, went in search of adventure and legends and found out really fast that some quests cannot be completed by oneself. When I escaped the forest I wound up here. I used my mage skills to earn enough to start a shop where I vowed to protect Gant or rather prepare it against any threats from that forest."

"You studied at the academy?"

"Many years ago. You know Cro I presume. There were rumors that one of his students was here. I imagine you are him."

"Correct."

"Well he taught you well, and I'll tell you this. If you stay in Ando you are relatively safe. The forest wont dare challenge the giants, and the giants are still being tricked into eating mutton forever I assume."

"Cro told me that is the case."

"However, deeper into the forest are the larger and more sinister creatures that used to plague Ando and now Gant. No one knows where they came from and what dark place they sprung, but for sure we didn't kill them all back in the day. We made villages safer, but many creatures evaded us and even our most skilled mages and then warriors couldn't kill the large ones."

"What about an army of soldiers and wizards?"

"That might work, but I imagine you wouldn't participate since I can tell you are well liked by the forest. It might let you in, but I doubt the forest and the dark creatures are friends. The forest tries of course to get rid of the creatures, they come here, we push them back to the forest, and it's an eternal cycle of pushing the problems elsewhere."

"What if I try?"

"What's going through your head?"

"If I go into the forest and slay this evil, then perhaps the forest and town will both prosper more?"

"No wizard could, I myself barely escaped that forest, and there was a shadow there."

"A shadow?"

"A beast that only comes out at night, and that only if there's no moon. I only know it is big, and many die right before their torches begin to make out its form. I and a few soldiers are the only ones who have seen it, and we have never gone back to fight it. I wouldn't know how."

"In the daytime for starters."

"Surely you jest?"

"Timing is all that is needed. Strike and then retreat. Eventually it'll get weaker."

"If you go into the forest to escape the danger here, it was a pleasure knowing you."

"I wont die, and when I get back to Ando, I'll tell them your weapons aided me and they'll come here to find you and buy your weapons."

"You're going then?"

"Tonight, today I think I'll hide around the castle. Where are the guards weakest?"

"You want the fishing district. Soldiers only go there when large ships are on the horizon. There weren't any yesterday so you should be able to hang out there until nightfall makes you harder to see."

"Wish you'd teach me your weapon enchantments."

"For the little gold you have left, I'll enchant your equipment."

"Thanks."

Ber only needed a while, and he did an amazing job. All of Walters' equipment felt lighter, stronger, and had spells that mimicked Cros' that was weakening on Walters' clothes. Ber reinforced them and then went to the sword. He imbued it to freeze water, gleam so bright it blinded an opponent, and stay near Walter should it get knocked from his hand. Walter asked Ber to tell him the spells to add to his spell book. Ber was flattered and managed to find his own spell book he had used years ago, but only glanced at when he made weapons. Walter flipped through it and added some spells he thought would help Ber and his business. Ber thanked him by enchanting his flute and staff with some of his magic. Walter was as ready as possible, and thanked Ber for all his help. He promised to come back some day when his quest was over. Ber wanted to know what it was beyond slaying the monster of the bog, but Walter said he'd know by tomorrow. Ber spent the rest of the day brushing up his mage skills. It seemed Walter had put the spark back into the old peer of Cro.

Ch. 23 Catching Up

Walter half hoped he'd get invited to the palace but after sneaking in he was sure they'd snatch him first chance they got. So Walter stayed by the harbor and just laid low until he felt he could try to storm the castle once more. This time he'd have to find Drey and take her if she came willingly. He was confident she'd leave. And if not, he would simply go into the forest and take his chances with whatever was in there. Perhaps defeating the creature that had no name would boast his status enough he'd get invited back. The problem was the wedding was tomorrow. Walter would've waited till then but he figured Drey would have her decision ready by now. Plus, if she did it during the wedding then there'd be guards, Prince Herum as he found out from the people at the harbor, and possibly a few wizards who would really give him a hard time.

Letting them look for Drey would give him time to get into the forest. If he took the road back to Ando they'd just follow him. He would've liked to travel there using magic, but Walter was tired of ending up in the wrong place and time. He needed more practice, and he also figured when he saw Cro again they'd make a proper rune circle together. One that could be used over and over and would only go to one place. It would be a big project, and they could cautiously perfect the travel spells. And Walter was done with time magic. There was so much he didn't know and this whole mess had been caused by irresponsible use of magic. Not that Walter regretted it, but if he was going to keep doing it. He had to make sure it was never abused or something truly horrible might happen. He might influence an ancestor of Cro or Drey. Or he'd kill Rye and never get summoned to Ando. It was a web of lives that Walter couldn't tell the beginning from the end. Walter hoped he'd not altered anything important. So far everything seemed to fit except his being together with Drey.

Walter couldn't pick a side when it came to doomed to fate or choose your destiny arguments. His coming here had been an accident from one perspective, but his greatest desire too. He had acted upon the opportunity that was wanted by him but unwanted by Rye and possibly others. Walter wasn't sure what to do when it came to will. How do you decide who gets what they want and who doesn't in certain situations? Walter needed to know cause right now he was trying to get his will carried out, and it would naturally conflict with the interests of Prince Herum, King Fry, and probably King Yur and Queen Lain too. They had hopes and dreams too. Why should Walter get things the way he wanted and they just had to make room for him? Did love justify and trump any action? Or did Walter have to learn when the needs of the majority outweighed his own? Walter simply felt that being selfish was just as important as being unselfish. If you never got what you wanted, you'd never be happy. But if you always got your way, everyone else suffered.

Walter reached a compromise thinking about it. He'd have Drey if she would have him. And if there were hurdles to leap over for her parents he'd do it. And if the King and Prince wanted his head he'd politely refuse. Better to please four and disappoint two. Can't please everybody anyway. No wonder God had such a difficult job. Walter felt sure of himself. This was his choice and he was going to deal with the consequences. Being happy shouldn't be a crime, and if it was, it would be worth having his head cut off for just one last moment with Drey. Maybe his story did end with him dying here? Only for Drey to relive it with him one last time. But she had said she had already met him. How'd that work? Was he writing or rewriting what had happened? Walter wished Stephen Hawkings was here so he could shed some light on this paradox that made it abundant to Walter at least at present that anything was possible if time travel was. And if it wasn't and it was all just a dream. Then at least Walter didn't need to fear death. He'd wake up before the ax came down. You always woke up in dreams before you died.

The smell of fish made it difficult to focus, but Walter made up his mind that it was time to see if he could get Drey. The forest would show him how to get to Ando, and hopefully with no trouble along the way. With luck King Fry and his son wouldn't follow him into the scariest place the realm had to offer. Walter was betting on that. He'd get Drey through it, and if she made him take her back to Gant, he'd just have to find another way. Hopefully he wouldn't have to kill Herum. No! He wouldn't, that was a mistake someone else had made. Unless of course Herum hurt or betrayed her? Walter would not be merciful if he were that kind of man. He'd travel further back in time if that was what awaited Drey and make sure she never met him. Walter had to stop himself there because killing Herum as a child who might become evil was still a hypothetical question no philosopher had quite found the answer too. Walter could deal with the moral and intellectual complications later. Drey was his wife as far as he was concerned. He simply had married her first and now was strengthening the relationship. It would be very awkward if Drey said no, cause then it meant their wedding night hadn't or wouldn't occur. So even if love wasn't motivating Walter, what he was about to do would answer a lot of questions for science and philosophy. Lucky me thought Walter.

Walter decided he'd try one last time to enter the castle civilized like. If the guards and king weren't decent enough to let him in, then he felt all the more justified in coming uninvited. Which was the greater sin, breaking an entry, or not taking a stranger in? Tough call, but either way Walter was walking away or fleeing with Drey. The guards recognized Walter and blocked his entry. Walter knew they'd tell him to leave so he started talking first.

"You delivered my message?"

"Yes, and if you enter, you'll be taken in for questioning, and probably spend some time in the castle dungeon, and be executed soon after."

"Do I get a…?" Walter didn't know the Andoish word for trial. His Andoish had improved much since the month in the library, but it wasn't a word he had needed until right now."

"Forgive my limited speech, I'm asking if I get to be heard before I am declared worthy of death."

"You mean a trial, yes of course, but as a foreigner you'll get less sympathy than a citizen of Gant."

"Unlikely, I'm a citizen of Ando, and if you execute me after the wedding, that would be bad for your king and the marriage. People would see it as a declaration of war and animosity."

The guards understood, this wasn't a threat, it was a genuine prediction of what he had said the day before. This wasn't a wizard who wanted trouble, it was a soothsayer making a prophecy.

"Wait here! You have my word you will not be harmed."

Walter was surprised he was going inside. He had readied himself for battle but now realized his little gamble had paid off. He'd be heard, and Drey would either dismiss him there, or go with him and there might be a scene. Walter was suddenly glad he didn't know the details all the time. If he had tried to fight his way through, the outcome may not be the same, and he'd probably waste a lot of magic anyway. Sometimes reason actually worked. The timing had just not been right yesterday. Walter had been forceful the first time. This time he had the willingness to wait or try another way. Sticking to the basic plan was important. But modifications could make it smoother sometimes. It'd be crazy if Walter didn't have to use magic today. But even more crazy if they let him take the carriage road back to Ando with Drey. Possible, but luck always runs out or changes Walter had to remind himself. Otherwise you'd be back with Drey already. Walter took a deep breathe and followed the guard who had returned saying the king would like to see him. Walter followed, at long last he was going to meet his father and mother in-law.

King Fry had a much larger court than the one in Ando. And he had ten knights and servants for every one that Ando had. But that was to be expected. It was more populated in Gant, and Fry was always trying to expand everything and anything he had. Too bad the more he did that, the less control he'd have over it all. Walter noticed the people were looking at his feet, and for the first time Walter wished he had a pair of shoes. The common folk were more accepting. These were the aristocrats and pampered folk who thought they were above everyone because they consumed more calories and did less manual labor. If Drey was one of them Walter might have been wasting his time all along. But he knew better. She was no brat. She was not selfish, and had sacrificed a luscious wedding for a secret one. Walter truly believed she'd give it all up to be with him. The fellowship of these people was meaningless. They did nothing intimate with each other. Their conversations were bragging contests and comparisons of wealth. These people got carried wherever they went. An assassin couldn't ask for an easier target. These people were only symbols of power, but not the actual possessors of it. The moment they ticked off the masses they'd be removed and replaced.

Still Walter had to be careful even here. He had no idea if he was in the presence of just nobles or black-hearted feudal lords. He was the foreigner, and had better entertain them somewhat, or they would get bored and move on to their next fancy meal or ball. Or both since wedding traditions all stemmed from people with lots of cash getting it creative and memorable and the poor people somehow felt they had to mimic the rich as much as possible.

Aristo-crap, that's what it was. It's about quality not quantity you overdressed, delegate my life away, land grabbers. You think the world revolves around you but your wrong. The land you think is yours isn't. You've never walked it, tended it, or even respected it. In a few years some peacock dressed up better than you will take your castle, rename it, and change all the land boundaries only for it to happen a few years later. And you wont do it, an army or group of farmers will do it. The earth will remember them and their children, but you'll be dead and buried in some large crypt or obelisk sized coffin that will only testify to the fact that you spent all your wealth on yourself and your only monument is one that'll just remind people like me that you really were worth more dead than alive. And even in death, you'll make it hard for the earth because it'll have to work extra hard to take back what was rightfully its own. You took so much, and gave so little back. It's only natural you'd have nothing to gain and everything to lose. Walter did not want Drey to succumb to what was obviously the worst lifestyle anyone could ever have. Even slaves and thieves could have more pride and dignity than these task masters who were the only reason they even had to exist out of necessity. That was the bias Walter had of these people. He just hoped Drey, her parents, and maybe Prince Herum were the exceptions to the rule. Cause it already looked like King Fry was a hopeless classic bigot.

"Who is it that dares protest the marriage of Prince Herum to Princess Drey?"

"My name doesn't matter except to those who search it out like my master Cro of Ando."

"Very well nameless student of Cro, state your business and be on your way. Speak out of turn and be sent to the dungeon to await your trial for disturbing the peace."

"That wont be necessary your majesty. For I am on my way to the forest to dispose of the unnamed shadow that dwells there."

The whole room began to gasp and whisper at the mention of the legendary terror that had claimed so many of their choice men, and had yet to have any champion slay it and dispose of it.

"Really? I had heard you spoke of the destruction of Ando should the wedding occur tomorrow, which it will."

"That is true, Ando will burn, for if Drey weds before three years are up, you will burn the forest and the beast in the forest will be drawn out of its hole and will devour first Ando and then make its way here."

"Impossible," Fry bellowed. "Gants' knights and mages will kill anything that comes forth out of that forest and slay it with a thousand arrows, swords, and our finest spells."

"Has that worked in the past?"

Fry went silent for a few seconds, and Walter had firmly established himself as the center of attention.

"Is it your intention to provoke the shadow, or to simply forewarn us as a gesture of friendship from Ando?"

Walter had hoped Fry would ask him to go and with his troops. But Fry was a coward at heart as Walter had guessed. He'd send everyone but himself into the forest before he lifted a finger. It was clear to Walter that Fry had little concern for Ando or for Drey. This was a political marriage, and an excuse to use Ando as the replacement land Fry couldn't get from the forest. It was actually clever, since Fry couldn't expand east, he'd expand past the forest, and slowly claim the mountains, and then there'd be a center piece that could be attacked from all sides. Fry wouldn't lose a drop of sweat, and hundreds would die to unite his so called realm and kill this creature.

"I came here to save lives. If the creature is left as it is, it will kill more than if action is taken now. Three years should be enough time to slay it, and my prophecy is this. Whoever slays it will get Dreys' hand in marriage, and the rights to the forest and all the treasure contained within it."

The mention of treasure opened a few ears, and now the knights and servants were listening to the barefooted wanderer who was telling them the next big event in their future.

"What treasure?"

"The princess mostly, but glory everlasting for slaying the creature and making the realm safe forever. The other phantoms and denizens of the dark world will lose heart while the fearful will take courage to finally cleanse the land the way Krell and countless others did when the demons first immerged."

"Princess Drey is betrothed to my son. I will handsomely reward any man who slays the beast. He may have his choice of any other maiden in Gant or in Ando."

"No! Drey is the one who will decide. She can wed Hermun if she desires. But if she waits three years then she may save both realms and marry a true champion. I have no objections to Hermun going forth to slay the foul thing lurking in the bog of the forest. If he is worthy of Drey he will go forth without a thought and save us all and our childrens' children, and prove he is truly worthy to be king of both kingdoms. If not, perhaps a man of Ando will do it, and he will rightfully earn his place as Dreys' husband. King Yur! Queen Lain! I ask you if you will accept such a man who will save the realm by slaying the black specter of the marsh."

King Yur and Queen Lain gave their affirmation and Walter was pleased to hear it. He was also pleased at how well he was speaking Andoish. This prank was working amazingly well, he was sure it would've caused laughter and ridicule but this was an appeal to honor and glory. There wasn't much of that in any world. But he had found a thing that surmounted rank or status. Old fashioned bravery. You couldn't fake that. You either went to the danger and came back victorious, died with honor, or fled like a roach when the lights came on. Walter just hoped his speech got to the masses and then King Gant would have a real problem on his hand. No fear! Someone would get it out of this room, and soon the whole town would be talking about it tomorrow. Ber would freak, as would Cro when it eventually reached Ando. Especially the part about it being one of his students who had made the prediction. Walter just hoped Rye was not Cros' only student. Otherwise he'd show up or worse, Cro would show up and recognize him.

"Why should I take advice from a shoeless street performer?"

Walter wasn't insulted, Fry was changing the subject like an intellectual delinquent and Walter loved a good mind bashing contest.

"So Gant has no champion? Very well, Ando will complete the quest. And if Drey weds tomorrow hopefully Ando will weaken the demon enough for the men of Gant to muster enough courage to at least help deliver a final blow."

King Fry wanted Walters' head, but that would only scare the people if every time a prophet came he reacted so brutally. King Fry knew he wouldn't be able to get out of this now. Either he got Ando, or this champion would. Fry had heard enough. Losing his entire kingdom was finally a possibility in his mind and in the minds of his subjects. If he did nothing Ando would end up with all the support, all the land, and all the glory. Gant would be nothing. Just a neighbor who had watched while Ando immortalized itself yet again like the green hero, Krell, Krells' sons, and every other knight and mage who loved those stories and wanted to at least say they'd been a part of it. King Fry made one final attempt to escape the prophecy.

"What champion does Ando put forward to begin this three year quest?"

"Myself for starters. And should I die, then the next hero of Ando will take up my quest and we will all gladly die to defeat the foul plague, and assure our beloved princess that we know she is destined to marry the greatest of us all. For my prophecy states that she will be the instrument that enables him to defeat it."

Everyone looked at Drey who could not believe what she saw and what she heard. She was the focus of a future that entirely depended upon her response to this man from her dreams' prophecy, or to a marriage proposal that would unite two kingdoms and leave her life virtually unchanged in many ways except she'd be queen and have children. She wanted her children safe from the shadow. And wanted this man her angel from last night spoke of to be her husband and father of her children. He was willing to do a task that no man had achieved. And those that would certainly agree to it were dead or exaggerated versions of their true character. But Drey wanted to believe, she just had to wait three years. What if it was all a lie? Then she'd just marry Herum later and things would go back to the way they were. Drey didn't want it, she wanted to see if it would happen. See if this reality the green wizard spoke of was true.

Drey reached into her dress pocket to find her handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her face and found something else. She pulled it out. Then put it back in her pocket so no one would see. The ring from last night. It wasn't a dream, this boy was going to his death all for the chance to have her. Was he insane? If he died how could she meet him in three years? Or was this going to be his last time seeing her and he was saying good-bye? Drey couldn't bear the thought of seeing her future husband in front of her, only to have him go to his death now. Drey had to stop him. She was convinced. She'd wait three years for him. He'd come back. No! She'd make him return with her and she'd find a way to keep him in Ando so he couldn't leave her. She'd love him so much he wouldn't go.

"I'll wait three years." Drey said and then went quiet.

Walter rose from his kneeling position he had taken when pledging to take up the quest.

"The quest has begun. I will go to Ando and inform my master that Drey will be returning and we will make preparations to finish what Krell started."

King Fry was enraged and tried to at least make Walter ruin his perfect performance.

"So you will not go now?"

"Oh I can get to Ando in an instant your highness. Cro taught me how to travel without walking. Such is his skill. I simply go to set my affairs in order should I not come back alive."

King Fry got some satisfaction from that remark. If he couldn't kill this annoying preacher. Perhaps he'd die on his quest. That would discourage the people of Ando and Gant would assume its place in doing what Ando couldn't. Fry hated how this wizard of Ando had insulted him so professionally. And no matter what he did, Gant would only be following behind Ando until it made a mistake. So the wedding was off for three years. Fry didn't care, Drey would just get prettier in that time, and Herum could, no would slay the weakened beast. Even if he had to fire a ballista at it everyday for the next three years.

Walter excused himself and had the entire room watching him go out of the hall and down the stairs and out the way he'd come. The knights who had heard the echoing of everything he said bowed as he left. Walter saluted them back telling him that they had shown true nobility and he had a favor to ask of them. Could they quickly show him a few sword swings.

Drey couldn't sleep and didn't plan to cause she packed her few things and set out to find Walter. She realized she should use the ring, then remembered she needed his name which she still didn't know. This was ridiculous. She was chasing after a man she met last night and she didn't even know his name. She had to know it at least before he vanished. She tried it anyway. She thought about Walter as much as she could and begged that he would still sense her even if she didn't have his name in her mind. Walter felt it faintly and realized he hadn't given Drey his name and that was why he wasn't having as easy a time finding Dreys' location. Walter couldn't go to the castle cause he was supposed to be on his way to Ando so he concentrated hard and tried to tell Drey to leave the castle and go to the inn near the armory in the market place. It was a mouthful so when he realized how hard it would be to hear all of that he told her instead to wait. Wait a moment he would bring her to him. Walter didn't want to waste magic but this was Drey and he'd already planned to use magic if necessary to take her if there were any opposition to her decision. Walter had never done a summoning, but he was sure he could. He just couldn't think of anything he wanted to summon. He couldn't summon Drey because he had no idea which one he'd bring if he tried. But this Drey had his ring and was close by. The spell would find her ring easily and bring her with it just a few hundred feet. It was nothing compared to what Rye had done.

Drey sensed Walters' instruction to wait and anticipated he'd arrived at the balcony. When Walter caught sight of her in the night he poured his love into the spell and Drey appeared in his arms slightly frightened, then she realized what had happened and embraced Walter.

"I thought I was too late."

"You have to get back to Ando."

"Not without you."

"I made a vow."

"I release you, come back with me and I'll keep you near Cro."

"Cro hasn't met me yet."

"What?"

"I'll be his student in three years, you'll see."

"Are you serious? You really are from the future?"

"It's more of a different world, but the time thing is something that happened along the way."

"I command you not to go as my subject."

"Command me not to go where?"

"The forest of course, you will come back to Ando with me and you and I can fall in love in a way that doesn't get you killed."

"I wont die, I promise we'll get married in three years when I meet you the first time."

"First time? Let's get married now, or at least court first."

"We're already married. I married you a little over a month ago from my reckoning."

"Preposterous. How is that even possible?"

"You asked me to before I left to come here."

"I can't understand this."

"Yes you can. This is the present, and everything else has either already happened or is going to happen. It's just different from person to person. I've already fallen in love, and you haven't yet. Eventually we'll both be in love at the same time and that is all that matters."

"You promise?"

"Just as I promised you when we said our vows."

Walter handed Drey his precious bracelet and she read it. She couldn't read the one side, but she teared when she read her name and the inscription in Andoish.

"What does the other side say, and what language is it?"

"It's my language, English and says I will always love and protect you. And my name Walter."

"Walter?" Drey had him show her how to write it since there was no way to do it in Andoish yet.

"Walter I wont have this. You can't go. Stay with me and I promise you wont regret it."

"I know I wouldn't, but I have to get back to you. Three years from now where there is no need to travel back and forth between yesterday and tomorrow."

"I don't want to wait."

"And I don't want to lose you. If I don't go I'll never be brought here and I'll never learn from Cro and we'll never get married."

"Brought here?"

"Yes, you'll find the answers in three years. I promise it'll all make sense. I don't know what happens after three years, and I doubt you do either."

"No."

"Then it'll be over, I promise I'll stay with you after that. But I have one last thing to take care of."

"You step another foot near the forbidden forest and I'll go in with you."

"I'm taking you home to Ando where Cro will protect you till I get back."

"No! You can't do this to me."

"If I don't I lose you and I'd rather die than let that happen. I'll come back and make up for all the lost time. I promise. Even if I don't see you after this, I just want to know you'll get a little more time with another me who will love you as much as I will."

"You mean there's another you and another me?"

"There's another me who told me this would happen. As well as another you and Cro who told me likewise. I don't care if it's the first day or millionth day of your life or mine. But I love you the same whether you remember those days or they are just about to occur."

"I want to go with you."

'You can't. You have to stay in Ando till I show up again and then I can stay forever. I'll take you with me then if you want."

"You promise, three years and you wont leave me."

"Yes, and anyone who gets in my way will pay dearly for every second he keeps me from honoring that promise."

"Where will you go now?"

"I still have to clue in my yesterday self to what I've just told you. He wont fail. He'll find you. I trust him and I trust you."

"Go to him then, but come back here to me so I know you aren't just joking."

'Now?"

"Yes! I can't marry you for three years, and you expect to just leave without first coming back here?"

"You mean visit from time to time throughout the three years."

"Yes, that's what I mean."

Walter was wild. He had hoped to just go grab himself on his wedding night, send him back and then go home. Now he had to come back here yet again. This Drey was almost as impatient as the one three years from now. But who could blame her. She was taking everything pretty well. No she was the only one who could. She was believing an impossible story.

Walter realized that he was going to use up all the magic he had tirelessly stored again if he did this. He'd hexed the rune circle in his apartment so he could take himself and his just married self there. But he'd need a way to go forward three years. This would be yet a new spell, then Walter remembered. He told Drey to give him his ring and she did. Walter transmuted it to its' future state and placed a three year spell on it that would slowly wear off. When it reached empty it would pull him to the place the ring was. From there he would quietly take himself home for the very last time and give him the heads up and then return here, and then finally return back to his wedding night, and just wait till he and Rye disappeared. And that would be the end of it. At least until Rye showed up wherever he was. He hoped he would not get back, take just a little longer.

Walter returned the ring to Drey and said he wasn't sure when he'd vanish, but then before he could say something else he did. Walter found himself in Dreys' bedroom. She was fast asleep and her ring was on a bedstand. Walter realized he would restore the ring any day now, train with Cro, come back the same day, get married, and that would be the time to kidnap himself. Walter quietly exited the room, and went downstairs. Cro was nowhere in sight. And Walter quickly checked to make sure neither Cro or Rye were nearby. All were asleep. It must be the night Walter slept over at Rye's. Walter needed to get out of the castle. He couldn't though. The doors were locked and there were servants and knights on and off duty. Walter eventually found the king and queens' chamber and locked himself inside. Putting a few spells in the room to keep himself safe from anyone and anything that tried to get in. When morning came Walter unlocked the door and realized his other self would be having lunch with Drey later that day, she'd tell him everything, he'd restore the ring and then go off with Cro and be back that night to get married. Walter had to hide through all that? Walter eventually hid in the wine cellar and did manage to find a door that servants used to deliver supplies to the castle. Waiting for it to be clear was a pain because there was always someone going in and out. Garbage, food, laundry, it was a nightmare because they all used the same entry and exit.

Walter did manage to get out of the castle that morning and went to the forest to wait. Then he realized he needed to be in Peor not Ando. Great, Walter sprinted to Peor at his fastest. By the time he got there he was sure that he and Cro had finished lunch, and that they would soon depart for Mutton Hollow to train. Walter stayed out of Peor to avoid detection and went into the wilderness to listen and serve. It was refreshing since Walter was tired of walking and even more tired of traveling. He was gonna have to go home in a few hours. But then he'd have done everything that had been implied to happen. Walter swore if his future self showed up again he'd tell him to buzz off and just go back and do whatever it was he was doing. He'd had enough. He wanted a break from this stupid duel with Rye that Cro needed to call a draw on or whatever. Walter didn't care anymore. What Rye wanted had nothing to do with dueling. He said he was just testing him. But then he had to go and try and send him back home where he had to go now. Walter was ticked at all the trouble Rye had caused, and it was only worse because this time it had been intentional. Walter made a rune circle there in the Peor wilderness. He'd come back here after he was done with himself. Then he'd be gone by the time he and Rye vanished. Then Drey and Cro would be waiting.

Walter wanted to watch his wedding, but that was out of the question. Avoiding Cro was the main concern. He had to think up something to get around Cro. In the end it was just a simple sleeping spell that overpowered Cro and the guards. Just a few minutes to go get himself. Cros' old age and exhaustion probably helped, because some of the guards woke up as he climbed the stairs to the room. Then Walter realized he needed to put himself and Drey to sleep or he would enter at an awkward moment. He'd factored in the wedding night, but still had to be very careful. Getting himself dressed and carrying him out was the hard part. Then Walter realized he needed this him to wear his clothes. He'd woken up clothed back home, and been sent back in the same state he'd been with Drey. Walter carried his naked sleeping self with him to the forest. Pouring more sleep into him so he wouldn't wake up too early. Cro was still sleeping, and the guards nodded off again long enough for Walter to get to the rune circle and take them home.

Walter tried to make sure it was his ring he looked for and home. Otherwise his travel spell would take him back to a previous encounter where he needed not to be. Walter managed to get to his room, and it looked like it did when he had left. His journal entry on the desk told him he was here just before he'd write an entry, tear it out and vanish. That was good. He was not there when the goth took ownership, and not much earlier when his past self would be older and dying for his life to break routine.

Walter busied himself switching clothes with his other self, and dubbed his exercise attire as his future self had. He was about to put his wizard garbed self in bed when the door nudged. Someone was coming. As fast as he could Walter put the sleeping Walter under the bed and he hid himself in the bathroom behind the shower curtain. Just the landlord trying to collect todays rent. Too bad that would never happen. Walter would leave soon and maybe that was why he had gotten the place rented out so quickly. The landlord looked at the unlit room and left quickly. Walter was about to come out when Cro and Drey appeared suddenly.

Walter had no idea Cro and Drey had come here. This had never been told him. He stayed hidden praying he wouldn't be found, and his other self under the bed. Cro and Drey eyed his room, Walter could hear that much but could not see through the shower curtain. When one of them entered the bathroom and turned on the sink, Walter prayed the curiosity ended there. Then he suddenly heard Drey and Cro go into the closet. Great, who was it this time? Someone turned the lights on and sat down at the desk. Walter was burning with realization at the situation. His old self had just sat down to write the entry and would begin this whole adventure. And he, himself, Cro and Drey had been hiding in his room the whole time. Walter heard the page being torned out and knew he'd be summoned away any second. Walter was relieved when Cro and Drey left as well.

The landlord would check up again since Walter hadn't been there, but he'd let a good amount of time pass. Walter put his other self on the bed and went to get a drink of water. Walter had almost had a heart attack. So much could've happened if anyone had been just a slight bit more attentive. When his other self stirred and shouted for Drey he duplicated the scene perfectly. Except that the rune circle ended up being what had bound him all along. The past Walters' spell missed him, and the binding had him nice a tight. When young Walter surrendered Walter did release him out of his trap. He set up the chess board he found under the bed and tried answering Walters' questions, trying to be vague cause he himself didn't know that much to be honest. Truth was Walter was telling this Walter his plan since he'd not dealt with Rye for the most part so far. But if the other Walter knew that, it would be bad for both of them. Walter also couldn't tell him he was actually going to completely exhaust himself going to some place called Gant to see Drey so he lied a little and said he'd stay at home and replenish. The moment Walter was finished he got ready to send Walter home. And made very sure to only send Walter. It worked. Walter had reset and put the other Walters watch on the bed as a locater so he could send Walter back to the inn instead of the rune circle in the field in Peor. Walter put his wizard clothes back on and the armor, sword, and spell book he'd hidden under the bed as well.

Walter then realized he had other problems. He had to somehow get back to Gant, and he had to do it with the little magic he had left. He was finally truly caught up with the present, and it was just as unclear and scary as the time he'd had to wait and fulfill all the implied future events that were dotted all over time and space. There were three rune circles. The one in his room, the one on the castle top, and the one in Peor. Only one thing to do. Go to Ando and wait for Rye and Walter to disappear and surprise Cro and Drey with the fact that he needed to get to Gant three years back. Walter had no choice. Besides he'd replenish while he waited. Walter entered the rune circle and said good-bye to his home for the third time.

Walter was on the castle roof again and gazed at Ando. This was the castle he knew and the village he remembered. Ryes' house was visible near the forest and Walter spied Rye heading to the academy. Walter was in rage. Rye would be at the academy until he challenged him to the duel that would take him all over the place and eventually back here. Walter wasn't just going to sit by and let Rye do that. Walter had been through a lot, and learned much. He could beat this Rye or cripple him for sure. The younger Walter needed all the help he could get. Plus there was the whole business of Cro and Drey to go find out.

Walter climbed down and left the castle to hide and replenish in the forest. In the morning he'd go deal with Rye or prepare to during the duel. Keep him at bay, or throw in a few enchantments to push the duel in his favor. The displacement spell couldn't be countered cause Walter had to save Ando from the vines. Walter wasn't even sure he'd be able to help much considering he was spent. His only chance to help would be to sleep that night and spend the morning serving until the other him, Cro, and Drey made their way to the academy. Walter has welcomed the moment he entered the forest. Walter had to hush the forest cause he didn't want Rye to sense him and come searching. The forest understood, and also pointed out that Walter was low on power. Walter said he knew and that he would do all he could to earn it back. The forest laughed at his suggestion and began invigorating him like never before. Walter was glad to be back here. The forest of Ando somehow knew he had saved it when it had been infested with the vine. And had caught word of how he and Drey were married now. The forest kept Walter awake all night asking what he'd do when he was king, what they could do for him when Drey got back, and how long he'd stay this time before he left.

When Walter informed it that he had to get to Drey in Gant and slay the creature in the marsh west of this place, the forest grew quieter. The forest peered into its' memory and realized what was going on. The forest helped Walter get comfortable so he'd sleep. And then began a meeting with its members on what they should do. Walter was leaving, Drey was in Gant somehow. And Walter had to slay a beast along the way. A beast that the forest had never been able to get rid since Rye had crafted it so long ago. Krell had lost two of his sons to it, and both Ando and Gant had lost choice men to it. The forest didn't want Walter to die. It had to do something if Walter was ever to stand a chance against it. All through the night the forest searched for something to help Walter get to Drey in Gant. The forest told the mountains, the mountains informed the valley, which told the sea. They all tried to tell the mages of Gant who were hard of hearing and concerned less with the forest than the ores in the mountains and the fish in the sea. They kept trying though. And while sitting looking over his spells, Ber heard them, and ran swiftly outside, exited the town and reached the grass. Ber listened, and listened to every word. Ber knew what to do. Walter needed a way to get back to Gant? Ber had waited three years for this.

Walter awoke and the forest told him they had a way for him to get to Gant. Walter was shocked but said he'd have to go to the academy and then come back and hear it. Walter knew the way he'd gone to the academy. So he hid himself and very far away from the trio he saw making their way to the place he'd worked for a month. Walter realized he had a decent amount of power thanks to the forest. All the more serving when he got back from Gant. Walter eventually did reach the dueling field and realized he'd be seen. He carefully hid behind a tree and made sure no one was looking in his general direction. When Rye and Walter started their duel Walter started his own spells. He tried confusing Rye, and making him lose focus. Anything to make him clumsy and easier to beat. Attacking Ryes' mind was hard Walter found, he was so angry and determined. And cocky. Walter could use these emotions to Ryes' disadvantage. Walter was about lock onto Rye and then saw the sight that couldn't have possibly shown up at a worse moment. Rye, with a full beard and pointing a gun at Cro and Drey.

Walter had no time to plan, so he used his power to send Cro and Drey to his room. Peor or the castle would've been better, but Walter had panicked and chosen the place furthest away. It worked, Cro and Drey vanished before Rye fired a few shots into the air. Bearded Rye was confused. Had the spell taken everyone? He knew it hadn't very quickly cause Walter had the element of surprise and set Rye on fire with his and Cros' favorite kind of spell, flame. Rye dropped the gun but prepared to use his staff to extinguish himself but Walter wasn't done. This time he went all offense on Rye. He bound Rye, and pointed the gun at Ryes' forehead after he fell to the ground.

"No death dealing Walter."

Walter put a bullet in Ryes' left shoulder for the snide way he had spoken. And another in his right knee. Rye screamed in pain and Walter fired the gun in the air till it was empty.

"That's for ruining my honeymoon, and the others for attacking our village with your hex vines."

"My village. Your village had me in prison for five months." Rye managed to say through the pain.

"Obviously you didn't learn anything from it. Except that you have no honor and would resort to a gun of all things to kill me. This duel is over, I win."

"Not yet. Cro has to make the call, I was hoping to make that impossible."

"I'll find Cro and tell him what happened here. No referee would ever debate the winner."

"If I keep you from Cro, doesn't matter if you win here. As long as I'm alive and Cro is far away, the duel can't end. Your defeat is sealed given enough time. That was my strategy all along. You have improved, but you will never surpass me."

Walter drew this sword and put it across Ryes' throat. Rye shut up fast and was more scared of the sword then the gun cause Walter could kill him slowly if he wanted to.

"Surrender now or I take your life. Or worse, your eyes, tongue, and anything else you wont be needing if you die."

"You'd risk violating the rules?'

"I've got you under my blade, and I could've shot you in the head. Even if you pull something I've claimed your life two times over. Your tunic is mine."

Rye would've screamed never but his knee and shoulder were hurting a lot and he was losing blood. He had to use his magic to get away or get rid of Walter. But Walter was too close, besides he'd just take them both wherever and unless it was dangerous, Walter would have the edge. Rye had just escaped from jail, but at least there he'd be safe and get treatment. Rye smiled and Walter pushed the blade closer, but then they were in the prison. In the same circle Rye had drawn there a moment ago when he escaped.

Ch. 24 The Fogdocroaken

The moment Walter realized he was in a prison yard and had sharp shooters pointing their rifles at him and ordering him to put his hands up he did so. When it was clear that Rye was injured and Walter had a sword he was asked to drop his weapon. Walter grinned and activated Bers' gleam spell. It did the trick. Both snipers and Rye were blinded by the light from his sword and Walter ran through the first door he saw. Walter knew he only had a few seconds before they found him so he worked fast. He used his gourd and prepared to summon Cro. Wherever Cro was he needed him here to declare a winner. After that it didn't matter, put him Cro and Rye in jail. They'd escape, the duel would be over and Walter could go to Drey finally. Walter wrote the runes with the water and prepared to summon Cro. Cro might resist though, so Walter wasn't sure what that would do. If this failed he'd just travel back to Ando, replenish and think up something. The forest had said it had a plan. Walter needed that plan. Walter then realized that he had just sent Cro and Drey to his room and they had left soon after. Cro would go to the castle. Walter couldn't miss Cros' scent. It was the only one besides Ryes' that he knew. Walter disappeared just in time before the guards would've spotted him.

Rye was taken to the medical wing and treated for gun shot wounds. Rye had been gone some months and many of the prisoners didn't know him cause they were new like he had once been. The guards also didn't know it was him, just a man who needed to be treated so he wouldn't bleed to death. Rye had lost his hat and staff when Walter bound him to the ground back in Ando so he only had his gourd, knife and spellbook. Ryes' English was good enough that he was able to lie his way back to health and leave the prison without a worry. Rye knew it was pointless to go back to Ando. Walter was obviously there and was getting Cro. Rye needed to retreat for the present. He'd stay in Walters' world and find some way to get a new staff and a way to get Walter that would be more deadly than a useless gun that had given him a permanent limp and shoulder ache. It seemed Rye would get to use one of those devices that destroyed cities after all.

Cro and Drey were a top the castle and Drey knew it would probably be a long time before she saw Walter again. When Walter appeared behind them a moment later as they were opening the trap door and called her name. Drey turned around and screamed his name and they ran into each others' arms.

"Walter are you alright?"

"Rye is hurt bad. If Cro hears my report and deems me the winner, the duel should be over."

"Thank goodness."

Cro listened to Walters' Andoish and he and Drey realized he had been away for a longer time than they felt it had been. Cro affirmed that two attempts to kill Rye was more than enough to declare victory and declared Walter the winner. Drey held Walter a long time after that. Then Walter told her he had to visit her one last time.

"You mean?"

"I have to get to Gant and slay the beast in the marsh."

Drey and Cro looked at each other and realized that Walter might as well have not showed up.

"I'm going with you." Drey said.

"The other Drey is there, I wouldn't advise it." Walter replied

"You mean you're going back to. Drey stopped herself."

"There's nothing after that Drey right?"

"Yes. You've experienced all of my past except that." Drey looked scared.

"Don't scare me Drey, I'm coming back."

"I don't remember if you succeeded or not."

"Oh! Well what does the history say happened?"

"There are several versions of the tale of the Fogdocroaken."

"The what?"

Cro and Drey told Walter the same rumors he already had heard from Ber. Walter hushed them and said he needed to get to Gant and slay it.

"How will we get Walter to Gant three years ago?"

Dreys' question to Cro was a hard one. Walter had no object in Gant to drag him back except Dreys' ring and that one was being used already to bring Walter to his wedding night.

"We must go to Gant." Cro said. "Getting to Gant is half the problem solved."

Walter found the forest told him to do the same and that there'd be a way somehow someway. Walter spent a week replenishing and training with a sword with the knights at the castle. He had the basics already but still needed the reflexes to become faster and instinctive. Cro also spent a lot of time with Walter brushing up his spells in his spell book. Some spells had worked, others had been spontaneous and they couldn't afford to have luck over skill. Walter especially had to improve his Andoish because his spells had English helping and getting in the way of the spells. Walter did it and also saw King Yur and Queen Lain for the second time.

They weren't told of Dreys' marriage. Just that Rye had gone while they were away and they weren't sure what had happened to him. Walter hid at the academy for those few days and then prepared to set off for Gant. Drey managed to convince her parents to allow her and Cro to go to Gant to see Ber an old acquaintance of Cros' King Yur and Queen Lain were hesitant, but also realized that Drey must've been bored while they were gone and they had had quite enough traveling for the present. King Yur had the academy wizards close by while Cro and Drey were away. Walter was waiting for them in the royal carriage that was taking them to Gant. The captain and knights were with Drey so the king and queen saw no harm in a quick visit. They had also done well of not revealing Walters' status as Dreys' husband. The entire trip to Gant. Walter and Drey enjoyed being together. Cro enjoyed the fact that Rye was defeated as far as the duel was concerned. It would leave him scorned and he'd only grow weaker with time. Cro also relayed how he and Drey had been to Walters' room. When Walter revealed he had been in the bathroom, they were stunned. Walter didn't mention the other Walter because it would ruin the memory of his wedding night with Drey.

When they were halfway to Gant. Walter told Cro and Drey to head back. Cro

understood why but Drey didn't. Walter explained that he wouldn't be in Gant except in the sense that he was going back to the night he had vanished in front of Drey. Drey understood and just wished she could switch places with the other Drey. Cro felt bad not seeing Ber but leaving Drey alone was out of the question. Besides, Ber had left to slay the Fogdocroaken back when the rumor had first reached Ando. Cro was relieved to know now that Walter had been his so called student who had prophesied Drey would wed in three years. He had turned out to be correct about that part of his prediction. Now he just had to see if the other part were true.

The legend of the Fogdocroaken had many tales and versions of each tale. Ber had the answers, cause Cro knew he had reached Gant by traveling through the forest of Ando, past the mountains and back into the deeper portion that was a part of Gants domain. Even though the path to Ando was around a mountain. Ber had sent word to Cro that he would never return until the three years were up. Cro took it to mean that the Fogdocroaken was wounded, but not defeated. The rumor that the beast was wounded but not dead had many warriors and mages vying for Dreys' hand in marriage. Prince Herum was like his father and settled for weekly treks into the forest to go a little deeper, but never quite deep enough to even see the creature. King Fry assumed the prophet had perished in the forest, and that once the three years were up, Drey would marry Herum and his current project of slowly inching towards the menace and so called treasure would eventually be won by a test of slow and steady progress. There were only three months till exactly three years since the barefooted set back had told Fry Drey was to marry the one who slew the Fodgocroaken. Ber had named the creature back in his youth when he came out of the forest half dead and spoke of what he saw. But only a few dared to address the creature by the name. It neither inspired fear or wonder.

Walter was given coin and rations by the captain who offered to go with Walter. Walter refused stating that Drey was the one who needed protecting. Walter needed to listen to the mountain and forest if he was to enter without being branded an intruder. The captain understood and told Walter to hurry cause he only had three months before Drey was expected to be married. Walter told the captain maybe he should just run off with Drey if that happened. The captain chuckled and stated that he'd just be trading one problem for another. If he left with Drey, Ando would have no heir, and Gant would end up with everything. Walter wouldn't have it, the forest must remain. King Fry would cut down every tree, and strip the land of everything. Walter was doing this to eliminate a land dispute, and who Dreys' husband was. If he died doing this, the Fogdocroaken would eventually cause trouble, and so would Rye. Walter had to see the young Drey one last time though. Walter listened as he walked to Gant.

The mountain and sky were louder than the scant plants so Walter learned from them. They talked about rain and wind, fog, and dust storms. These were spells Cro could use but Walter had yet to know. This was how Cro became invisible, and winded him. The rocks were strong and more so if they were big. And grow they did from pebbles to mountains, and then back to pebbles again. Walter would try these spells in the marsh. The forest was powerful with the water and soft earth. But the mountains employed wind and hard earth. From the mountain came metal and rock. The powerful materials that could make man cut down the forests and reshape the rivers. But the forest and mountain shared the rain and they were brothers. They respected and helped one another. Plants found their way up the mountain, and rocks found their ways to the rivers. Trading with each other so that both were always busy and talking to each other. Their bond was strong, and Walter did his best to befriend the mountain and assure it he would be here for it if something ever threatened it. The mountain knew the forest harbored a vile being against its' will. The mountain had kept its distance and ignored the forest that cried out for help. Perhaps that's why it had become wild and hesitant to completely dispose of the creature, as if to tell the mountain that it should be afraid too. Walter sensed this tension and told them both that he was going to help. And he'd appreciate their assistance in any way they could offer. The forest loved Walter and vowed it would. The mountain was silent and then said it would think about it. Walter sighed. Even mountains that inspired explorers and were stood upon by heroes, conquerors, and champions had things it was afraid of.

Ber sensed the forest wizard mostly because the mountain and forest had told him a few nights before. Ber had dreaded and looked forward to this day. Ber was old, but if Cro was still training and breathing then Ber was going to prove himself today. Walter was surprised to see Ber clad in armor and waiting for him outside the town gate when he exited his ride.

"Let's go."

"To the marsh?"

"Yes, let's finished what we started."

"We?"

"I'll explain."

Walter asked permission of the marsh on behalf of him and Ber. The moist forest asked his intent and Walter said the creatures name. The forest sniffed and looked over Ber and Walter for a while before saying.

"Enter, finish."

Ber told Walter to be on guard because they would probably kill more on the way then the one creature that was in the center. Walter asked Ber to tell him what they were fighting. Ber began when he left Ando in search of the mysterious wizard Cro admired. He had heard he had been in the forest and Ber went deeper and deeper each time until Ber knew the whole forest. Ber slew many creatures in those days and was a town hero unlike Cro. Cro said his master would come and he had to be ready so he didn't miss it. Ber got tired of waiting with him and went into the deep parts of the forest while Cro waited outside the forest near the village. Ber and Cro had the same goal, which was to train more with him. Ber slew nastier and bigger creatures thinking perhaps this legendary and powerful wizard could only be found by the most serious of students. Cro had made it sound like he was a hard teacher but worth it so Ber kept pushing himself. His magic improved, but so did his fighting skills. Ber set traps, learned to fight long and short range. He gained the forests favor because he purged it. But when he entered the marsh portion, he almost died. In the darkness, Ber got lost and couldn't find his way home. When night came the creatures tried to kill Ber in his fearful state. Ber fought his way through and then all the predators fled as if they were about to be devoured. Some of them were by a massive being. Something that ate constantly, and with no regard for what it was. A monster that eats monsters. It would've eaten Ber had someone not heard him in the darkness and come for him. When morning came Ber ran as far from where the incident had occurred that he wound up in Gant. And since then he had feared what had become of his rescuer and forged weapons in hopes that some warrior would slay the beast and bring word of its death so Ber could return to Ando and tell Cro his master was in the forest. Ber knew that the creature had devoured hundreds of Gants knights and mages. Many came to Ber saying they would kill it. None had ever come back except those who vowed never to try again.

When Walter suggested slaying it, Ber had been doubtful as always. But Walter had said he wouldn't die and had the look Cro had when he said his master would come back. Ber wanted to believe one last time. And now he had heard for two years and nine months about the barefooted green clad prophet who had told King Fry that Ando had a champion that was going to slay the creature and take Dreys' hand in marriage as his reward.

"I finally understood, you came here for Drey."

"She's my wife."

Ber turned and looked at Walter who swung his now instructive arm at large spider that lost two legs in the attempt and died by Walters blade when it tried to flee.

"I thought you had to kill the Fogdocroaken first?"

"I married Drey before I made the promise?"

"And I wager I'm the only one who knows this?"

"Yes, here in Gant anyway, Cro knows and Drey does too."

"What do you mean Drey?"

"I was here in Gant a week ago when I first met you. It's been two years and nine months since I left correct?"

"Yea, why?"

"I intend to go back to this place two years and nine months back to the day I set off so I can keep my promise and kill this thing."

"Then why are we in here with only three months till Herum marries Drey?"

"The forest said to come here. So tell me, why are you here?"

"The forest said I was to aid the green hero of Ando in slaying the Fogdocroaken."

"Doesn't really matter if we kill it now or earlier I suppose." Walter remarked

The duo kept walking deeper into the marsh. They were surprised by how few creatures they encountered. Giant insects and the undead mostly. Where were all the large monsters? Walter theorized the Fogdocroaken had eaten them all. Ber hypothesized that the creature had finally died of old age. They soon found that Ber was only half correct. In the center of the marsh was a large pool of dark murky water. And in the middle lay a massive frog skeleton. And within the skeleton a massive pile of bones, trinkets, gold, weapons, and remains of all the creature had eaten that didn't digest in its time.

"The hero did it." Ber said with relief.

"I don't think so." Walter said

"What do you mean? This is indeed the creature I saw, and it has been dead for quite some time."

The Fogdocroaken was indeed dead, and its carcass had some rotten flesh about it that was infested with maggots and flies. It had been wounded it would seem. So much so that it had bled and breathed its last, and died in its slimy home, where the forest could finally rid itself of it forever. It had done a pretty good job from what Walter could sense.

"Who killed it?' Walter asked.

"Who cares?" Ber pointed out.

"I have to know or we have to lie or make it look like we did." Walter interjected.

Ber admitted he was disappointed to not know if his rescuer had survived, but if the creature was dead than someone had killed it. Walter finally enlightened Ber."

"I need you to send me back three years."

"What?"

"I or you haven't killed it yet. One or both of us has to kill it in the past so it'll end up like this."

"Nonsense! Let's go spread the word and just say you've already married Drey, and the mystery goes unsolved, it happens sometimes. You never learn what happened."

"The forests instructions were clear."

Ber went pale and remembered the two words they had both sensed from the forest. Enter they had, finished they had not, technically. Someone had, but the forest had specified they were to do it.

"We may need Cro on this one." Walter turned from the gravesite and started heading back to Gant.

Ber sighed and grabbed Walters' shoulder.

"You need a rune circle."

"I need one to Gant three years back."

"More like a few decades."

"What?"

"I made one to save time entering and leaving the marsh. I never came back after the creature attacked me. I had forgotten about it."

"How far is it?"

"We passed it on our way here. If we head back I'll find it and it's brother circle lies outside the forest near town."

Walter was impressed. Ber and Cro traveled between short distances with their circles. Walters' were similar except they only went to one where and when. And his half baked spells didn't always take him to the exact moment. But if they modified the circles, they could have one go to now and the other to the time it had first been made. Ber found it and slashed away the overgrowth and rewrote the runes. He told Walter it would lead to the other circle at the edge of the marsh, but that one was to remain untouched so it would only go to the past, and that it would only work once because it was probably just about out of Bers' magic. Walter understood. Only one of them could go. And that one would be the one that slew the Fogdocroaken.

"You'll tell the town the creature is dead?"

"Better. I'll tell them you killed it."

"We don't know that for sure yet."

"Don't be a liar then."

"Rewrite the other circle while I'm gone in case I need to come back."

"You mean so you aren't stuck forty years before Drey is born."

"Wish you were coming."

"If you see the younger me, tell him to go with you."

"He might die."

"And you'll probably die if you go in alone."

"Fine."

"Get going and good luck."

Walter entered the circle and Ber had to pull out his spellbook since he hadn't done this spell in a long time, and certainly not to send someone else back to his worst memory. Ber did a decent spell, and Walter found himself at the edge of the forest. Surprisingly, Drey was running towards him. He had come just two hundred feet shy of where he had vanished when he left Gant three years ago. Walter waited for Drey to come who touched his face and asked if he knew who she was.

"Wrong Walter Drey." Walter said.

"You just left. And then I saw you appear over here so I came."

"I have to go forty years back now to kill the Fogdocroaken."

Drey slapped Walter on the face. Walter then realized this was the Drey who had forbidden him to enter the marsh.

"I don't care which Walter you are. You go into the marsh and I'm going with you."

"Last time and then it's all over." Walter knew that line was pointless cause he had said that already.

"You came back just now, what did you do?"

Walter told as much as he felt and Drey was shocked that he had been with the other Drey for a week. She seemed mad about it so Walter emphasized how she had been left behind when he came back to Gant and Ber had just sent him here. She simmered down when she found out that the other Drey was getting jilted now and she was with Walter.

"I'm going with you, and unless you don't want to marry me in three years you're going to do it."

Walter wanted to tie her to a tree and go to the marsh that instant. But instead he grabbed Drey by the hand and started into the marsh. He hoped Drey would get scared and let go and then he could continue on and argue that he had tried to take her but she had been unfaithful to her claim to wanting to go with him. Instead of that, Drey was smiling the whole time and every time Walter looked back to check on her and the surrounding environment that was getting darker and less friendly. He found that Drey smiled back at him.

"This is crazy." Walter smirked.

"So is your way of showing love. I want more of it. You'll protect me no matter what."

"Even after I'm dead."

"Don't start! I already know what you were thinking. You expect every time this is your last moment with me, I can see it now. No man loves someone that much unless they know they are about to be separated. You've loved me how long now?"

"A month and a half."

"And it's only been two days for me and already I know you love me more than a century of time would ever permit anyone else."

"There was a lot of time that went by before that month and a half."

"And now you're telling me I have to wait three years for you. Sorry, but I know better. Being with you in this marsh will mean more than any future you could ever promise. You need to love me now and not keep promising to love me later."

"If I hadn't left and did what I did. You and Cro would be dead three years from now." That frightened Drey.

"And now I'm in a situation where if I lose you, I'll never meet you. I don't want that."

"Well I don't want you to keep disappearing, I don't see the difference between being dead and being far away."

"People don't come back to life."

"And people aren't supposed to be able to visit yesterday and tomorrow and yet you claim precisely that."

"You want proof? You'll see in three years, or I can show you now."

"I already believe you, you vanish, and your Andoish is better. And you said I'll learn your language someday." Walter realized the list of future prospects went on forever and he stopped their run through the marsh."

"Are you saying we're all gonna end up dead anyway?"

"I'm saying what you said, I don't care if I die as long as I get to be with you just for the time we're here in this forest." It began raining as Drey finished that sentence.

Walter tried to find a place of shelter from the rain but there was none so he told Drey to lie down and she wouldn't. Walter had to grab her hands and forced her to fall back as he leaned on her. Drey hit the soft tall grass Walter was aiming for her to fall on. Walter positioned himself above her and the rain fell on his tunic and entire body. Drey was dry in his rain shadow.

"You're protecting me from something like rain?"

"If the situation requires it."

Drey smiled and grabbed Walters face and kissed him with all her might. Then rolled over to take his place. She was now sheltering him and he looked at her.

"I miss this game."

"Then it's a good thing I'm here and we'll play it until it's over or one of us is unable to continue."

Walter removed his tunic and shrouded them both with it. Drey and he were soaked but so close together it wouldn't make a difference. It rained only a few minutes. But Drey wished it would rain forever so she never had to leave Walter and even if they got pneumonia, Walter would hold her just as tight and not even death would be able to pull her soul from her body.

It was hard walking in the marsh all wet so Walter carried Drey so she didn't get stuck in the mud. Drey held Walters' oak staff as they journeyed and soon Walter found the Fogdocroakens' grave again. Same as it would be in three years only the rain had washed the flies and maggots away, but they'd be back soon Walter knew. It was a treasure trove for the small creatures at least. And ironic that a massive creature that had eaten so much was doomed to die by being eaten by the smallest of creatures.

"It's already dead." Drey was relieved.

"Dead now, but that's because I have to kill it forty years yesterday."

"No! It's dead, you can marry me, and Ando will get the forest and the treasure."

"I'm taking you home Drey. And when I get back I wont willingly time travel ever again."

"That promise can't be kept because you don't know if you'll need to travel again."

"True, but it should prove to you that I always keep my word. And that I'm trying to get back to you each time a quest pops up."

"I wish it was alive. At least that way you could kill it and it would really be my wedding day tomorrow."

"Three years is nothing, and you'll use that time to learn English and prepare me to do all this for you."

"I can't believe this has been dead this long and no knight or mage has told my father or King Fry."

"That's easy. No one found it, or they got scared and left before they could discover this. I only found it cause Ber knows the marsh well, and I walked here with him before I took you in. I already knew it was dead."

"You were going into the marsh to be with me, now you can go and do your vow for real."

"Shall I take you back to Ando?"

"My parents are in Gant, they'll take me home. And I'll tell them I saw you off into the marsh and that you said to send a party after a week to get the treasure and drag the corpse out of the marsh."

"If I kill it, I'll hide proof of it where you can find it."

"Where?"

"You know Ber."

"The armory storeowner? Yes."

"Tell him the green hero will meet him in Ando in three years and that there's a rune circle in the forest that protects the heart of the Fogdocroaken that is dead and that he is to go there after confirming the creature is dead and tell the story in detail this time."

"So Ber will tell that the creature is dead in three years?"

"Yes. If I kill it."

Drey held to Walter and Walter decided he'd try and use Bers' rune circle again and somehow get it to work this time. Drey started walking back the rest of the way when Walter found it. Like Ber he had to remove growth and write the runes. Walter asked the mountain for help in doing the spell because he didn't know how to connect himself to forty years ago.

The mountain told him to pick up a nearby rock. Walter found it, a rock cracked and large enough to be used as a brick. It had certainly fallen from the mountain a long time ago and had finally reached the bottom of the marsh. It brimmed with magic, but the source Walter didn't know. But maybe just maybe it had been imbued in the past by some wizard. That would explain how it got to the marsh, only one way to learn. Walter brought the rock into the rune circle, chanted and found he was in Ando. Walter looked below him and there was a rune circle. But it was in the Ando forest in Bers' writing. Ber had a third circle? One on Andos' side, one halfway into the marsh, and another right outside Gant. Walter had to assume Ber had forgotten about that too. Walter heard a rustling deeper in the forest and saw a bit further in was a young man with a bow, a hand ax, and a large shield. Bers' armor looked like that, but slightly modified because he had grown wider and bulkier in his age.

Walter knew the general direction to the Fogdocroakens' lair soon to be grave he hoped, so he made sure to stay out of Bers' sight, and found that Ber was actually doing him the favor of killing some very nasty creatures the entire way. Walter walked over many fresh corpses as he made his way into the forest. Walter had an awful time avoiding puddles of blood and guts with his bare feet. This must've been why Drey had gotten him boots for the wedding. Walter realized it was getting dark and thought it best to turn back. Ber had said the creature only came out at night. But this Ber didn't know that yet, he was walking to his death. Walter had to stop it. Unless Ber died because he interfered with what was about to happen? Walter was done with these arguments though. This was the present, the past and future could be sorted out later. Who wants to be careful the rest of their life? They'd be waiting forever for fun that could be had now. Drey had just made that point in this swamp. Well actually forty years from now, but Walter was sick of remembering dates and events in chronological order at this point.

Walter had to start slaying creatures too because as they got closer to the center it got darker, and creatures used the darkness to prey. These were nasty ones. Bat creatures both small and large, Walter had to use magic on those cause he didn't have a bow like Ber. Giant scorpions that his sword couldn't quite penetrate. Walter found they hated fire though. Walter especially hated the ogre that took several stabs to kill. It was slow but smashed trees trying to reach Walter. After Walter gave him three flesh wounds it skulked away and luckily many creatures fled from Walter after seeing he had taken out one of their strongest and they could be next. Walter realized that he was running out of daylight and would be completely blind if he didn't pick up a large dead tree branch and light the end of it. It got really dark after he did that and Walter realized he'd have to hold just the staff or the sword. Walter choose the sword cause anything in the distance would give him time to reach for his flute Ber had enchanted.

Walter couldn't see Ber and was worried Ber would get in trouble in the dark. Then Walter noticed a change in the air. The stench of rotten flesh. The croak of a frog being blasted by speakers the size of a dresser. It was here. The Fogdocroaken was out on a feeding frenzy. And Walter guessed by its breath that it preferred fresh meat and hadn't the time or patience for personal hygiene. Walter felt fear go down his whole body like when you watched a really scary movie. Walter realized that he really might die unless he ran now or went at this thing while he was still at a distance. Walter looked at his bracelet realizing it'd be in this garbage disposals body if he didn't make it. Worse, Ber and he would be a part of that massive heap that was obviously deader than this creature had been forty years from now.

Walter thought about all the people who had fled from this thing. Yea they lived, but this thing did to. And it ate greedily. It claimed more than necessary for survival. An abomination that even now terrified other dark forces because even they new excess and lack both led to death quickly. This creature lacked a predator, and that was why Walter had to go. If he didn't, he wouldn't want to face Drey anyway. He had promised to prove he wanted Drey. This was the separation event. Any guy who walked away didn't deserve Drey or any woman. Cowards did nothing, and that was something Walter had hated about life to begin with. It was worth it. This was better than the desk job, better than anything before. Walters' last thought was how he wouldn't be holding Drey in this cursed place in under half a century unless he got rid of this thing that would ruin the memory by swallowing him. Walter swore he'd torch and stab the thing a thousand times if that even happened.

Walter raised his sword over his head and put his now brightly burning piece of dead wood in front. Walter tried to follow the croaks, but found it echoed too much. But then he felt quaking. This thing wasn't just big, it was heavy. Obviously because it had so much weight being added by eating then by hunting. It only hunted if it had to. Walter couldn't find it so he tried to find things fleeing and went in the reverse direction. He found Ber with his ears being attacked by some lamia. Walter sheathed his sword. Pulled out his wand and incanted a fire spell. The lamia and a few trees caught fire and Ber finished the job. In the heat of the moment Walter had tripped, fallen on his face, and his torch had fallen into a puddle and gone out. Ber shouted hello and Walter answered.

"I'm fine."

"Who are you?"

"I was sent to find you. Are you Ber of Ando?"

"Yes. And you are."

"One of Cros students. Do you have any injuries?"

"No! See if you can find your staff. I lost mine in a fight with a vampire yesterday."

Walter realized his staff wasn't strapped on his back anymore. He pulled out his sword and flute and his sword began to glow. When Walter put the flute away the sword went dark. Walter pulled his flute out again and the sword glowed again. Cool, thought Walter. His flute was like a battery that enhanced whatever he held in his other hand.

Ber was about to head towards Walter when he saw Walter was looking behind him at the tree tall barn sized mass. It croaked and a large tongue protruded and grabbed Ber.

"Help." Ber yelped trying to cut at the tongue with his ax.

Walter aimed for the eyes, but the creature didn't mind being blind while it swallowed. Ber was being pulled in and Walter had only one trick left. He flung is glowing sword as hard as he could and the ice spell activated. It out paced Ber and entered the amphibians stomach. The creature started to choke cause all it's digestive system was being turned to ice. Ber finally managed to sever the tongue that was pulling him. The tip remained attached to his legs. It had so much mucous and slime it was impossible to get off. Walter picked up Bers' ax and cut off a slimy front leg. This creature couldn't eat if it couldn't move. Walter tried cutting the hulk but the creatures' inflated body didn't allow the ax a clear hit. In that moment the fire in the trees that had lit up the battlefield died out. It was all dark except a faint glow in the beasts stomach. Walter needed his sword if he was going to penetrate and do internal damage. Almost as if hearing him, the enormous toad coughed out the shining blade. Walter remembered the sword would always try to get back to him. He reached for it and plunged it with both hands into the balloon bellied monster. The air it released was so foul Ber vomited. Walter pulled the sword out and stuck his hand into the opening and shouted for a flame spell. It scorched the creatures bowels and it started to hobble away.

Walter cut the massive lump of flesh that was like rubber cement and plato around Bers' legs. He returned Bers' ax to him and pulled out his flute and the sword lit up the area enough that they could see each other, the Fogdocroaken was just out of range of the gleam. Ber took out his bow and fired some arrows into the stinking blob as it was an impossible to miss target even in the dark. The creature traveled much slower after that. Bers' arrows were laced with many of Andos choice spells. They would infect, age, and even dissolve the creature until it got the arrows out. That was unlikely.

"I need to find my staff." Walter suddenly remembered.

"In the morning." Ber muttered. "That thing is the least of our problems."

"Vampire?"

"Yes, and even if you do find your staff, the creature will just regenerate once you inflict pain."

"Where is it?"

"While it's more dangerous than the croaker, he has no interest getting eaten repeatedly. In fact the croaker is the only thing he fears."

"And now that he's butchered, he'll be on the prowl even more?"

"Sadly, I should've told you."

Walter was embarrassed. He had made things worse now. But how was he supposed to know? Vampires were just people with fangs as far as he knew. They had as much truth to them as they did fiction.

"Thanks for saving my life." Walter felt a little better after Ber said that.

"Let's get out of here."

"Good idea."

The trip back to Gant was dark and long. Ber and Walter never sensed anything and no creatures went near them because they had just slain the second most dangerous creature in the marsh. The good news was Ber and Walter had killed a local menace. The bad news was they had now created a void that would be filled by another creature that was the one thing the Fogdocroaken had tried eating and failed at. When they finally got some daylight, they sprinted because once they got through the trees they'd be safe in the sun. Walter reached it first due to having lighter gear than Ber. But Walter also spyed a dark human figure that had been following them. He prepared to fight and Ber turned around and saw it too. The creature retreated as the sun came down on Walter.

"He'll find us." Ber announced.

"You mean he'll attack the village?" Walter nervously said.

"Yes, but only you. You escaped into the sun. He'll take it as a challenge and will bide his time till he can claim you."

"What about you?"

"He already tried. My armor was too thick and if I ever do face him again he knows I'll be ready with better stuff and a spear that I'll craft into my staff as well."

"I'd like to go get my staff if that's fine?'

"It's too late. He'll find it, and either destroy it or find a way to use it." Walter didn't like the sound of that.

"Then I rest and go to face him."

"Are you out of your mind? We're lucky to be alive, and I have no idea where we are."

"The kingdom of Gant, but that's unimportant. I vowed to find you and slay the creature. I'm not going back to Cro until that thing is gone and the forest is safe again."

"Please wait."

Ber said he'd craft a new staff for him and that they could figure things out. Ber then realized that Walter had said earlier he was Cros' student. Impossible cause Ber and Cro were looking for a master. How could this kid his age already have a master, let alone Cro.

"Your masters name is Cro or is the Cro in Ando who is currently your and my age approximately?"

"I wont lie. Cro will train me in forty years. You, well I wont say what happens to you Ber. But either way I need to get back in that forest and kill our grotesque stalker."

"You'll have to get past me before I let you back in there."

"If you insist."

Walter kept his distance so Ber couldn't use his ax. Ber armed his bow and Walter realized this was trouble. He pulled out his flute and sword and aimed the sword at Ber. It spewed out frost and Ber dropped his bow, then to his knees shivering.

"Th.. that's an am…azing swo..rd."

"I got it here in Gant."

"They have magic swords?" My bow was my own work, I practiced magic at the academy and loved the story of the green hero who fought the forest vines and Krell when he took up the responsibility after he left. My ax and shield have no such abilities."

"Then you'll let me go back in?"

"You seem able even without your staff. But please let me craft you one before you. No charge, the least I can do for you saving me in there."

"Hardly, you severed the tongue, so it can't eat now, and even if it could regenerate it'll have plenty of other problems thanks to you."

"The creature will die in a few days I'm sure. But the forest will now be even more dangerous. The big creatures wont get eaten now, the vampire will come back night after night to feed on them. The small creatures he'll either not bother with or they'll flee out of that swamp and come here."

"Then we should warn the village."

"And get something to eat. I've been in that marsh for too long and didn't bring any food with me. I'd never eat anything in there, even if I had to starve to death."

"Wish our shadow would starve to death." That made Walter even more hungry.

Gant was a small fishing village at present with a few choice merchants. The castle was small and the people were stunned by the two men. One dressed like a warrior and the other like a peasant. It was partially due to the fact that they were covered in mud and stank from their little encounter in the marsh. They were stopped on their way to the market by the guards who asked their names, occupation, and where they came from.

"Ber of Ando, and this is my apprentice who is learning the ways of fighting."

Walter didn't mind, he'd like to say wizard but without his staff, he actually could pass for a poor soldier.

"What brings you to Gant?"

"We encountered a beast in the forest. A black shadow, it.." Walter continued.

"We come to warn you that the forest is dangerous and we recommend that all who value their lives stay clear of it until an army or group of wizards can be sent to dispose of all that is evil therein."

Ber supposed that was enough to say. Besides he didn't want anyone going in there with the vampire now more motivated than ever because his competition was now as good as dead. Chances were he was finishing him off as they spoke.

"This is urgent." The knights told each other.

They would set defenses around the village and tell the king that the forest was not a safe hunting area. The fishing would have to suffice. Walter had no idea who was the king in Gant then, but Walter also noticed that the road he and Drey had taken to Gant wasn't built yet, so he added one last thing.

"Ando lies around these mountains about a five day journey. Do not travel through the forest. Use the mountain pass. It is uphill at times, but better to sweat than to bleed your last."

Ber was surprised at how good Walter was at giving people orders. It was like he knew who was gutless and who would pick a fight. Or maybe he was looking for a fight. Otherwise he wouldn't be so thick headed as to go kill a vampire as he was clad. The knights had listened to every word and then invited them to come with them to their outpost. There they could eat, wash their clothes, and rest. Walter and Ber didn't object. Afterwards Ber found a choice spear he bought off one of the knights and began to work on it. Walter wanted to help try and enchant it but Ber said he was out of practice and this was a good place to start. Walter pulled out the flute Ber would enchant in his old age and tried playing it. Walter didn't go beyond using three notes to avoid the fact that he hadn't practiced with it.

As Walter played he realized he was feeling better. Ber felt it too. So the flute really was like a magic battery. It strengthened the player. But Walter needed to test the limits. Walter played fast and the breeze picked up. Slow and the ground shook. Walter stopped and put it away. The whole village thought a giant was coming. But after nothing happened for an hour they all went back to their daily routine.

"I've never seen an enchanted instrument." Ber said jealous now that this wizard was going to have three magical tools at his disposal."

"I'm still learning, and I'm sure we'll both be much better as years go by. Since you're busy with the spear, let me see if I can't enchant your shield and ax."

Ber didn't like people handling his stuff, but if this wizard could make his weapons half as amazing as the sword and flute he figured it was worth it. Truth was Walter knew that daily practice was the key to the mystic art. If you got lazy or forgetful, the spell showed that. Everyday Walter read his spell book and looked and scribbled down ideas and suggestion in the blank pages. He realized he still had yet to fill an entire blank page. An entry a day would be fine, but once in a while something new had to be tried. But carefully and always with the ability to wear off so the user would have to redo the spell at some point. Permanent magic had been forbidden by Cro. If a spell had an infinite power source, then it would or might not ever be reversed. Walter also realized that Ryes' binding was starting to wear off as was his own. The duel was over so no need to waste magic on something that wasn't needed then.

Walter made the shield able to catch on fire in the front. He explained it would frighten enemies, and make enemies panic if they managed to take it from him. Ber was excited when Walter told him his ax would expel a lighting bolt if its new name were shouted when it was pointed at a target. Walter named it Zix to mimic the sound it would make when it burned the air. But also said it would be draining so he recommended three times and then he'd have to retreat if whatever he fought wasn't dead after that and a hack job. The other enchantment made it so the ax would only work for Ber and anyone he inscribed on the handle. Ber was glad, if this was stolen Ber would never forgive himself. Walter was satisfied with those simple upgrades and told Ber he was free to add his own in the future. Walter returned Bers' weapon and Ber handed Walter a metal tipped staff. Ber said this could be thrown with the same abilities as one of his arrows. It would also have a locater so Walter could always find it. Something his two previous staffs did not have.

"Just say any of your favorite words and the staff will call out."

"Thanks."

"I'm not as good as you, sorry I could only do two spells."

"You've saved me the trouble of going into battle less prepared. I would like to add one new spell if I may with your help."

Ber got excited, a spell using the magic of two wizards. Ber wished he had stayed with Cro and waited, at least they could've done this everyday as they waited. Walter explained that he wanted to try and create a spell that would take him to anywhere he had been before. Ber was amused, a staff that enabled travel. It would certainly be a costly spell. But the wielder could escape danger and travel great distances quickly. Truth was Walter was tired of being summoned and traveling to places without the complete assurance that there was a way home or a rune circle he could use. This staff was the first real time machine. It wouldn't grab just anyone, and wouldn't just send you anywhere. If there were no specifics, it wouldn't work at all. And even when it did, it would have a timer like all spells that would terminate the visit so the user could never stay in one place too long except by never using the staff. A perfect safeguard against all the nasty business Ryes' first summoning spell and all the clumsy work Walter had done, and that Cro had done in the spur of the moment. Not to mention Bers rune circle that had sent him back three years instead of forty. That was because the final rune had been on the opposite side of the rock Walter found in the forest. Either he or Ber had kicked it out of the rune circle he had made using stones when the overgrowth proved too thick in some places. These accidents and set backs would finally be set right. And Walter could go back to Drey permanently forty years from now, and never have to go backwards or forwards anymore. Keeping things the way they should be was hard. Always someone throwing it out of balance, and someone had to go and put it back, only for it to keep happening. Walter was determined to catch at least a month, no a few years of break time before he had to do this again.

Ber and Walter wrote the spell around the entire staff. It was a long one, but it had all the protections and rules written clearly on the staff. Anyone who found it who spoke Andoish would understand. Walter realized he knew of only three people who had traveled through time. Himself and Rye back with the vines, and Cro with him to the night he left to train with Cro. Drey, Cro and Rye had also traveled to his home, but Walter knew that the river between places was a little different then the river between events. Walter made sure that the staff would reject Rye and anyone even like him. Bad intention would make the staff attack the wielder by sending him and not the staff to the worst place Walter could think of. And they'd be stuck there without a way back for all eternity, unless they managed to pull off what Ber and he had just done. And that was unlikely. With the time spear completed Walter thanked Ber and the knights for all they had done and he told the staff to take him to the place and time he had been right before meeting young Ber. It worked flawlessly. But it took one second for the situation to change.

Walter was in the rune circle he had tried to use to go back forty years, and Drey was in the distance making her way back through the forest she felt quite safe in cause nothing had attacked them, and the Fodgocroaken was nothing more than an eye sore and a nasty pile of stinking garbage. Walter realized that the vampire if he was still around would sense him, or worse sense Drey. Walter found out quickly that the vampire was near, and he had probably known the moment they had entered. So the entire time with Drey had been as close to death as he possibly could've been. Walter would never feel safe anytime anywhere now.

Walter had two choices. Not go to Drey and pray the vampire didn't attack her and went for him. Or go to Drey and risk her getting hurt or killed. Either way Walter needed to choose now or the vampire would. Dumb question Walter realized. Drey had entered the forest and was about to leave. Ber had said he never let his prey escape, just waited for a chance. So Walter sprinted as fast as he could. Walter had the time spear ready and would ram the creature right through his heart. Walter then realized that everything he knew about vampires might be useless. This was no Count Dracula who seduced women and wore a cap and stylish clothes. This was a blood thirsty carnivore that couldn't get a girl excited unless she was a masochist or an occultist. This was no boyfriend addicted to a girls blood and would only drink a little. He'd slit her throat, and drink every drop. The only thing worse than this creature was a rapist, because he might do what the vampire did afterwards. Walter felt so clueless. Why hadn't he realized that a giant frog couldn't possibly be the thing that terrorized knights and mages. It was this creature. It was smart, it had human intelligence and could plan and have tactics. It could decide to attack in his territory or come to a village and scare the hell out of everyone. Universal Pictures had done an excellent job of comically cooling down the reality that this thing was the supreme work of evil. It could have minions, it could revive, and it always took more than one person to kill it. Walter realized he was truly scared this time. This creature made Rye look like Chucky. Who if you'd watched the movies you'd realize it was a wizard who was bested by things liked a locked closet or a cage. Which was precisely the kind of place Rye was in right now, and had apparently taken five months to get out of.

So Walters' ultimate goal was about to be attacked by yet another threat. Walter knew it couldn't get worse than this so it was time to die trying or grab victory, supreme victory from killing what Ber had said he couldn't but had managed to scare off. Well Ber, I'm glad I met you, but you taught me one thing. Finish what you started. Ber had waited forty years to complete this quest. And Walter was here to make sure Ber and Gant would finally know that the shadow of the marsh was dead, and Walter would either succeed, or Drey was gonna have to figure out some way to evade this monster forever.

Walter was halfway to Drey when he saw his stalker coming for her. He was in rags, dirtier than dirty, and had the blood stained eyes and claws that some accounts had claimed. He reminded Walter of the undead in the marsh but he wasn't missing limbs, and his flesh wasn't rotted, just pale and shriveled. When he fed though he probably gained strength. He seemed familiar but Walter wasn't sure and assumed he was possibly a villager who had been bitten. Or he was an original vampire, which was what Ber had thought. He looked at Walter and smiled. Walter knew that look, I'm gonna eat your woman and then you. But you'll have to watch it happen cause I can run faster than you. Walter knew he was no speed runner so he got ready to throw his spear once the vampire had his back to him and wasn't looking. Walter threw his spear and the vampire managed to not die by slowing down when he was within striking distance of Drey. It landed in front of him and he looked back at Walter who was now switching to sword and flute mode. Walter didn't like what he saw next. The vampire pulled Walters' time spear out of the earth and prepared to stab Drey who was screaming for Walter. Walter slowed down. The vampire grinned and Drey was confused as to why Walter was giving up. Walter grinned back at the vampire who realized something was up. Walter pointed to the spear and the vampire looked at the writing on it. The vampire knew Andoish and read every rune on the staff until the last line finally showed up.

"Have fun in hell Rye." Walter said

The vampire could not believe it. Walter knew who he was. And worse, had a weapon that was now going to send him to the worst place he the current holder had been. How did he know? The answer was obvious. He had limped while he ran, and Walter knew his smile and eyes like no other.

"And where is hell?" Rye said.

"Go and find out. I'll see you in a decade at minimum."

Rye vanished and the time spear fell in front of Drey who was in shock. Walter strapped the spear to his back and asked Drey if she was hurt. Drey started to cry and clung to Walter who realized that this was her first time almost dying. It got easier each time, but you still thought about everything and said your regrets and remembered your happiest memories.

"We should be dead."

"Will you at least stay in Ando three years before you come with me into a dangerous place again."

"Walter, I can't do this."

Walter was scared now. Drey was having second thoughts. Rye may not have killed her but he almost had just like with the gun down the road. She was scared, aware of the danger, and now it wasn't just a story, it was reality, and reality is the least safe place sometimes.

"I'll take you home then. You decide in three years if you want to help the me who arrives or if you want to marry Herum. I understand completely. But if you meant what you said, my promise remains. I will kill that creature whether or not you marry me in three years."

"What did I say?"

"That you didn't care if you died, that it was worth every moment. I know it is for me. But I don't know that you do, so I protect you so you don't need to decide. You can decide now, or you can wait until you know a lot more and then make a wise decision, or a wiser one if you think of it. It's up to you Drey. But I want you alive, even if I can't be with you. So I'll take you to Ando. Cro will protect you, I know he will. As for me, I've got a vampire to slay and unless he sets some trap. I'm finishing him now and forever."

Walter carried Drey out of the marsh and then all the way to Gant. When the town saw him return they asked if he had slain the beast. Walter told them he had found a large frog creature that had been killed years ago by Ber and that the shadow had left the forest and he was going to pursue it and kill it so it never came back. Ber affirmed Walters' story and the town was relived that at least for now the forest was devoid of evil and any monster that was beyond the skill of the knights and mages. King Fry and Herum decided it was an impossible quest to pursue because chasing a vampire for three years just seemed crazy. The prophecy was ignored since there were three years for it to occur. And Fry hoped the wizard who was leaving never returned with the creatures' heart or head. Walter told the whole village to report the shadow if it ever found its way back into Gant, the marsh, or Ando. And affirmed that he had had much success with Bers' weapons and would use them proudly now to go finish the job.

Ber was kept busy making weapons because all his fine wares were selling out faster than he could make them. Many apprentices came to him trying to learn the ways of fighting and mystic combined. Ber eventually did visit Cro and tell him what had happened all those years ago and what had happened there. Cro was amazed and sad, because he had hoped he would find their master before Ber. Ber had had his own adventure with his master Walter. Who had even given his name to Ber, Ber wouldn't admit it. But Cro knew he had.

Drey was silent all the way home with her parents. Walter had prepared a note for Cros' eyes only as it was marked as such. The king and queen swore to Walter that no one would read it, and Walter pretended to seal it just to be safe. Saying anyone who opened it before Cro touched it would age fifty years. No one did touch it. Cro read the letter signed by Walter and Cro almost had a heart attack because the note was from his master who had been in Gant and the note also burst into flames to make sure only those Cro trusted ever heard what he knew. Walter made sure Drey got all the way to Ando before preparing to use the time spear again to go and finish off Rye. He could go to Drey now, but enough was enough, and Rye was a vampire. How had that happened?

Ch. 25 Dragon Slayers

Rye left prison madder than all the people who lost the lottery that day. He could sense his spell on Walter fading and realized that he must have found Cro, and Cro had of course declared him the victor of the duel. It was affirmation that Walter was currently of higher mystic skill than Rye and therefore had a right to live in Ando and to be there. Rye marched through town asking about any place where he could acquire knowledge. He found a few places. A school, but they wouldn't let him in cause he wasn't a student. A computer lab but Rye couldn't operate the thing and got shooed away when he tried to read over people who were getting info they wanted. Finally Rye found a library and was amused about the number of books available.

Ryes' English improved through his reading. There had been books in prison. But they were confiscated when he tried using pages to draw runes and create spells. Here Rye was nobody as long as he wasn't loud and he left when the lady at the entrance told him to. Rye spent evenings and mornings looking for the things he'd read about, and of course food and the basic necessities. He had to commit his crimes far away to avoid being detected. And also had to wear a disguise when he saw his picture popping up out of no where on walls and on sheets of paper someone had posted everywhere. Rye couldn't believe how clever Walters land was. Being bad was impossible in public. You still had to do all your business somewhere hidden like the forest of Ando or you had to do nothing bad like everybody else.

Rye hit a wall when he found that nuclear weapons were banned, and even if he got one, getting such a large thing to Ando was impossible even if he spent years preparing a spell or taking individual parts. This wouldn't work. Rye needed a simple plan. The gun had been simple. Just foiled because Walter happened to be in the right place at the right time. If Rye was early to the party, then he could make the rules. Rye would go back to Ando early, and make it sure it was when Walter wasn't there. He also needed something small from Walters' world to take with him. There were many candidates. A smaller bomb, various poisons, and then Rye saw something amusing. While looking up detonators, Rye found a reference to a branch of creatures from Walters' world. Extinct now, but millions of years ago the mightiest creatures of ocean, land, and sky. Rye delighted in these. Who needed to make these in his world if he could just capture one or steal and egg and raise it to do his wish? Such a massive creature would be difficult for magic to kill, and even more so if Rye trained and made it immune to it. It was a gamble and would cost more magic than Rye had ever used in his life. But it was Walter, no one else had ever defeated Rye, and if Walter couldn't beat this, than no one could.

Rye found a few choice species he'd like to obtain if his travel spell back in time did work. It would take many tries probably. The secret was to keep trying until you got it right. Ryes' spell to send Walter home had been countered by a time spell. And one made by accident under the impression that doing something was better than doing nothing. Walter had no more luck on his side. No army in Ando could deal with one of these. It would terrorize more than a thousand spells, and the people would surrender and submit, or become food for Ryes' new favorite toy and pet. The weeks storing up magic and trying were agonizing, but Rye got closer each time. And found that as he finally mastered time travel, that each time period was a different world if enough time went by. Many diverse people, animals, and even weather conditions happened in Walters' world. Rye eventually did reach somewhere between the Jurassic and Cretaceous period as he had written down in his spell book. Along with all the other tips he had on raising and caring for animals so they would be obedient and loyal. Rye was proud of all the leaps he was making in magic, and taming beasts as minions was one he was sure would never be surpassed. It would take years to hatch, train, and raise one of these if Rye managed to catch it. But Walter found one he had absolutely hoped he found. Allosaurus it was called in the book. Large, fast, and very dangerous. The egg was Ryes' treasure, and worse he took three because he knew personality was unpredictable sometimes. Two would either be too stubborn or too tame. The third the perfect blend of ferocity and obedience. Too much of either and the creature would be useless. Plus the eggs didn't necessarily hatch. Nothing ever went perfectly according to plan.

But Rye found he liked this land. No humans, just test subjects for him to learn more about magic than any wizard could ever dream. And no Walter or Cro. They wouldn't find him here. He was far away, his aura and scent all over Walters entire worlds history. He could be anywhere? And Rye patiently raised Wiv, Sla, and Drago. Wiv was mean, Rye used him to learn ways to stop Sla and Drago. Sla became obedient, but always wanted to be fed, she never did anything unless fed. Drago was the one. He always obeyed and Rye rewarded him always to encourage the behavior. Drago grew larger each year. And soon Rye had him taking him throughout the land. Together they were unbeatable. Oh there were other dinosaurs that tried, but together they slew them all and soon there weren't many left or that were too far away who dared challenge them. And Drago was magical. His skin was spell resistant, but non-magical fire did harm him. He could be tricked, but Rye had commands to fix such problems a clever wizard might try on the creatures mind or senses. And he didn't let anything harm his master. Rye was small and it was only when Drago was off drinking or feeding that Rye was vulnerable to packs of smaller and strategic dinosaurs. Rye usually could handle himself and often used the smaller dinosaurs for his experiments.

Walter had shot Rye and Rye suddenly realized just how close it had been for him. Walter could've killed him, and death was something that had to be subdued if he was to beat Walter. If he didn't die, if this plan didn't work, he could just try again, and each time he would relish it. Walters summoning was a blessing Rye realized. He had Drey, but soon Rye would have everything. Walters' little adventure he was enjoying so much was about to enter a whole new level of play. And Rye had the things that Walter and all of Ando would be powerless to stop. Walter would die, and Rye would reign forever if possible. Rye was finally beginning to have success in stealing magic out of his subjects, and he was assimilating their power, their strengths, their instincts. And he was enjoying the power. He became paler, darker, and soon the only thing not afraid of his form was Drago.

Soon Rye decided it was time to go home. And not just any home. He'd go when Walter wasn't there. After he'd taken them to prison. Walter and the bullet holed Rye would be in his world. Rye called Drago and performed a shrinking spell. Originally Rye had wanted to raise the three delights in Ando, but hiding them would be too difficult, and they'd get far too hungry for sure. Rye had practiced shrinking on many dinosaurs because it was a trick they couldn't do anything about. It was fun and Rye would do it so he could one day use it to bring Drago to Ando if he got too big to take there.

Soon they were back in Ando. And Rye restored Drago to his original size, which was full grown at that point. He was as tall as the academy. Maybe he'd smash it just for kicks? Rye had decided a staff and hat were just a bother. But he still carried his knife, wand, and spellbook. They hadn't failed in battle. Only the gun and his staff that had failed to beat Walter who had somehow acquired a new oak one.

Rye found he had landed them just a little east of where Ando was in a valley. So Drago was taking in the scenery and would need to feed soon. Rye started things by finding a farmers field and told Drago it was meal time. Drago devoured four sheep and the farmer was killed by Ryes' knife. The duo continued this little exercise until Ando where he hoped to usurp the throne and make the villagers feed Drago while he organized things and prepared a trap in case Walter came back and Cro organized defensive measures, which were about to be tested in an unprecedented way.

Cro and Drey had returned to the castle and hoped Walter was having success in Gant. Cro sensed Rye immediately because he was riding something big and booming with more magic than a giant. Cro ran to the academy and summoned all the wizards, students, and knights outside. When Rye entered town on Drago nobody recognized him. But the danger was apparent and the wizards began firing flames and the soldiers fired arrows. The magic fire tickled Drago and Rye was repelling it to keep his vision clear. The arrows couldn't quite pierce his skin, and Rye just let Drago shield him.

"Kill Drago."

Drago began what he had been trained to do in order to get rewarded and began attacking anything within the reach of his massive feet and teeth. Drey looked from the castle roof and knew what to do. She pulled off her ring kissed it and said Walter.

Walter was preparing to find Rye and kill him in a place he'd have overwhelming advantage in when he suddenly found he was being called by Drey. It was faint, but Walter sensed his Drey needed him. Walter told the time spear to take him to Ando three years from now to just after he and Rye had been sent to prison. It worked and Walter started sprinting to the castle.

Walter arrived and found the village was fine and all was well. Walter knew though that he might just be in a commercial break, and the scary part was about to come back on any minute. Walter got to the castle and climbed the stairs. Then he sensed Rye and ran up the stairs even faster. He got the Drey just after she had called him with the ring. Walter called out to Drey and she ran to him. Walter was still a little uneasy because Drey had had second thoughts only a moment ago for him, even though it was three years later.

"You called?"

"What's wrong?"

"You told me you couldn't do this in Gant." Dreys' guilt came back.

"I'm sorry, you had just saved me and somehow I was still afraid."

"I got lucky, your fear was rational."

"I want to make up, but first outside."

Walter saw the Allosaurus and realized this was impossible. But not in his world.

"I have to go handle this Drey." Walter exclaimed.

"I'm not afraid, if you die you did more than any of us."

Walter kissed her cheek and said to tell the wizards and knights to flee in every direction so the Allosaurus as he called it would do less damage to people. Houses could get rebuilt. People were harder to put back together. Drey said she understood and Walter spoke to the time spear, vanished, and was home again in his room, which he realized might keep happening unless this really was his ace in the hole for Rye.

Rye was surprised when the soldiers and wizards got orders to retreat and flee in separate ways. Drago couldn't chase them all so Rye ordered him to destroy the academy. Drago rammed and smashed it. No one was inside so the real damage was only done in the library. But the books would simply have to be restacked. An annoyance, but fixable. Drey was worried Walter wouldn't get back in time but then saw he was back and had appeared with five men in green, round hats, with instruments she couldn't even begin to guess the use of.

"Listen Special Ops. This movie scene has an Allosaurus attacking the village. You are to run down these stairs, exit the castle and kill it with just the five of you. Don't care how you do it just kill it, and kill it fast. The robot dinosaur has limited power time and is already destroying the model village. I'll pay each of you three million dollars to do this scene in one take and in less than five minutes. Every additional try and minute it takes I'll shrink the paycheck to keep the movie budget. Don't worry you wont be held responsible for any civilian injury or such. Everyone has signed a waiver, use your real equipment, no props. Ignore the cameras if you manage to see them. Try to pretend this is actually happening. Any questions?"

The five soldiers looked at each other and the captain simply reconfirmed that they got three million dollars each if they did that. Walter said they'd better hurry or it would only be two. The captain ordered his men into two teams and the squad began their descent and exited the castle. The team saw the monstrosity and its rider and were wigging out at how real it all seemed. They saw that the villagers were scattering so there was plenty of room for them to do their job. The captain ordered two team members to draw the creatures' attention while the second team prepared and set up a land mine. Rye didn't see Walter so he was curious who these green guys were. When two of them started firing at Drago, Rye realized they had guns. This was Walter. When the three man team had set up their trap they had their man with a flame thrower come out and he sprayed Drago who was about to eat the two gunners who were firing and running in segments. The two fighters joined the second team and began provoking Drago to walk over to where they were. Rye had ducked because he didn't expect bullets, and because he hated them now. He had no idea there was a small bomb on the ground.

The land mine was state of the art. Motion sensor, pressure sensor, and proximity sensor. The special ops with the flame thrower stopped the flame and Drago thought maybe the fire was empty. Drago was mad. The bullets hurt and he hated fire so he was enraged and since Rye was hiding from the bullets he went all out. The landmine exploded flawlessly and Drago lost his entire left foot. Rye spiraled off his pet and hit Drago hard, then hit the ground. Just before Drago came crashing to the earth shaking the soldiers almost to falling. The soldiers were afraid they'd done a little too much damage but were surprised when Walter came forward with the knights who started busying them selves getting Drago while he was on the ground. Rye knew he had to act quick so he quickly drew runes in the dirt and managed to end up in the forest. When he wasn't sure, but at least he was alive. And he hadn't time to decide, anyplace was better than there. Soon though he'd find that wasn't true.

Walter said the soldiers had done well and that their paychecks would come in the mail once they wrote down their names and the mailing address. The soldiers did so and were a little suspicious that the dead and bloody Allosaurus seemed so real. Walter said it was going to be a great film and thanked the soldiers again and said he might use them again if they chose to do a scene where they killed the rider of the beast. But no harm, they had been ordered to kill just the dinosaur and they could go home now. The soldiers were about to inquire as to how they had gotten here so quickly and what special effects were being used when they found they were back at headquarters where they had just been.

Weeks later the captain found a large package at his front door on his day off. Inside was an Allosaurus headskull with a list of museums and bidders who were willing to buy it for anything between fifteen to twenty million dollars. And there was a note saying he should split it with his men and that he was to tell no one what had happened or what he had done because then his hard earned cash would be wasted on therapy. The note burst into flames and the signature vanished last. The special ops captain and his men visited the skull that took residence in a museum once a year and reassured each other that they weren't crazy. The cash was real, and when people asked, they said that it was a secret classified mission where they had taken down something that made the legends of fire-breathing Dragons seem to make more sense.

Rye soon found himself in the marsh, and feeding off the local wildlife of all things. Ando was off limits, Walter might or might not be there but no more risking it. Rye made his way to Gant. He knew the way, and also found out really fast that the marsh was filled with vile creatures like himself. Rye took out all his frustration on them, killing them, toying with them, and soon found that some were in fact the things he had created back in Ando in Krells' day. So his magic had failed back then, and it had failed just recently. When Rye encountered his biggest test subject he stayed clear of it. It was gross and he had wasted a lot of magic on it and Drago and needed time to recover.

When he spied the man in the marsh he followed hoping to find Gant that much quicker. When his hunger overtook him he tried to feast on him like he did the small dinosaurs, but this warrior had some spells and managed to give Rye some choice gashes. Rye only managed to break his staff. He would have wanted it but better that neither of them had it. Besides he had his wand, he had just not thought of using it, his instincts said biting and slashing was funner, more enjoyable. When he came across another staff in the forest made of fine oak, he instinctively smashed it too cause it reminded him of Walter and his failed attempt with the other mage who was skilled in fighting. Rye then realized that the second staff meant there was a second man in the marsh, or close by. When it turned out to be both Walter and the man called Ber he had failed to kill he watched and followed. They saw him as they exited the marsh. And Rye plotted to spend time waiting, and sensing for when they returned. Several years Rye hid in the marsh, preying on those foolish enough to enter. Soon few if any came there. That was why when Walter and Drey entered and left he almost missed a chance to kill them. He smelled Drey more, and found her right when Walter came back.

Rye didn't wait, this was his final chance, whichever Walter this was. He was not bound by duel rules. He could kill Rye if he chose and nature would understand. Rye wanted to kill Walter first, but Drey was Walters' only reason to live, so it would be worse in fact to kill Drey. Rye was fast now and was surprised when Walter threw his staff that was now a spear. Rye wanted to slash Drey and drink any power she might have. But it was a special occasion so he decided Walters' staff would make it even more painful. He wouldn't use what had killed Drey to fight him, and he would finally kill Walter. And then nobody would be able to stop him. As he prepared to kill Drey he suddenly noticed Walter was smiling. Walter didn't smile, that was Ryes' motif. When Walter pointed to the staff, Rye eyed it and found the runes. A traveling staff, amazing. With this Rye could easily kill Walter anywhere and any when. So why was he not afraid that Rye had it. The last rule said any with cruel intentions would be sent to the worse place in the holders' history. That was an odd rule. It should've been the owners' history or some unreachable place. But instead it was whoever was holding the staff. So Rye was going to his least favorite moment in his life. Rye couldn't believe the defeat. He eyed Walter and Walter said have fun in hell. When Rye asked where and when that was. Walter left it unanswered. Rye knew, but Walter didn't. Rye vanished and he appeared in front of his former self.

The young Rye had been sent as usual to regularly purge the forest of any creatures that threatened the realm, and caught site of Rye in his grotesque semi-human form. Young Rye realized this was a vampire and he would slay this creature and claim fame and glory. Rye realized when this was and realized this was his younger selves' biggest mistake. Rye tried to tell him to stop but young Rye eyed his spellbook and wand and assumed this vampire did magic. Rye instinctively tried to attack, then realized he should run away. It was too late, young Rye charred his other self and ran his knife through his heart. Just before Rye died he realized that Walter was not his biggest rival. It had been himself. His own ego. And in the end, Rye was no longer Rye, but Walter was still Walter. Rye was bested by his former self, and Walter was no match for his own future self. Rye began to burn. His spellbook, wand, and knife destroyed beyond recognition like his body already was. Rye understood now, Walter had wanted something else. Something greater than the thrill. Something Walter knew that made everything possible. Rye had no idea what it was. He had thought killing Walter would somehow give him this power. But no. Walter had it always, and no matter what shape or form Rye twisted him into, this power would find a way to manifest itself according to his desire, no matter how limited or permitted. Rye turned to ash. And the young Rye went to report there had been a vampire in the vicinity. He was disappointed at how easy it had been to slay.

Chapter 26 The Memory

Walter came back after sending the special operation squad home, and a few other trips to get them their paycheck. Drey asked of course and Walter had to be vague because dinosaurs, carbon 14 dating, ebay, and UPS wouldn't really make much sense to her yet. Walter had one last visit to make and asked Drey if she would wait for him. Drey said yes and Walter went back three years. Walter relaxingly made his way to the castle and found that Drey was in her room crying. Walter managed to enter the castle through the servant door, bringing a barrel of wine in as his excuse. He managed to knock on Dreys' door and she said to come it. Walter locked the door with magic and Drey got up because she wanted to know if it was her parents or a servant.

"I'm finished."

'With me?"

"No my quest. I have to go back to three years from now and marry you publicly. Is that alright? You wont see me much."

"Drey rolled to her side and Walter got on the bed next to her. Drey was nervous."

"Want to hear the whole story? Well most of it?"

"How long could it be?"

"I don't want to spoil what you haven't experienced yet, but if you really want to know I'll tell you. Even the embarrassing and funny parts."

"Will you hear mine?"

"You told me already, in three years you'll tell me everything I'm about to tell you."

"Are you certain?"

"I'm only certain that I love you, the rest is just to prove or disprove that one fact. And based on opinion and choice that changes, but not that one fact. It's the one that is always true, and will never be otherwise unless I want this me to stop existing. I don't want that. But if it means you'll be happy, I'll let you erase my history and write your beautiful history in mines' place."

"Can I hear what I have the power to not allow to happen?"

"Of course."

Walter spent most of the night talking, Drey asked for details sometimes, and other places she wanted it not told so she could be excited or surprised. When Walter finished Drey was speechless. But finally spoke when her feelings couldn't bear it.

"You're real. I thought it was a dream because you always disappeared. I thought you were some trick or some horrible ploy to torture me. But you're not. You're my deepest wish. I thought you lied in Gant because you just wanted to have me and then move on. But you have the smell of the forest. The calluses that prove you have walked long and hard to find me and find your way back. And you always return like you promised. This time I truly believe you. In three years we'll be married. I believe you love me and I believe I love you."

"Wishes become real only if we wake up and do something about it. And although we must sleep and dream again, there's the small chance that we may think a bad dream is real or that a good dream isn't possible. But the good dreams don't have to be dreams only. We nourish them until it has no choice but to become what we are thinking and saying."

"You're leaving me one last time?"

"Pretty sure, the future is the future again, I can't tell you what happens for you here or the Drey who I promised to go back to a while ago. But some other Walter might, he'll be ahead of me though. But only because he loves you too and wants you as safe as I."

"So my other self is to blame for your disappearances. We both need you, and you love us both enough to include us both in your dream."

"You're both the same person, so it doesn't matter that I love you both. And whether your past or future, I love you in the present. And as long as I love you in the present. The future and the past will have just as much love for you to visit, and love to look forward to."

"Before you go can you do one last thing for me?"

"If it's to come back I'll have to tell the other you."

"I want you to tell her something for me."

"What?"

"On this note. You are not to read it."

"Promise."

"I'll be waiting for you Walter."

"It'll be no time for me. But when you told me what's on this paper before, it had the desired effect."

"What? You know what it says?"

"Does it say, "If you wont love him I will."

"How did you..?" Walter vanished with a smile. Drey swore she'd get Walter back and keep him here the next time. There was always a next time.

Back at the castle Drey was tapping her foot waiting to send Walter back again. When Walter showed up she ordered him to go back and unlock the hexed door in the other Dreys' room. Walter did so and when Drey saw him back she thought she had willed him back but then Walter undid his spell and said he was really going for the last time and it was his fault. Drey clung to him as he did his spell and appeared with him in front of the other Drey. Drey talked with her three year younger self and said if she wanted they could switch places. Drey said no because she wanted to meet the young clueless Walter so she could love and convince him. Walter finally took her back and she cried because Walter promised under pain of death he would not pull this prank anymore. She said it was ok to slip up or sneak in once in a while. Walter said he'd ask the other Drey. She said she'd say it was ok. Walter finally asked if she was really ok with this happening from time to time.

"You said it doesn't make a difference." Drey hated saying it though.

"But do you?" Walter remarked.

"Just a little, if you come back again tell Drey I'm sleeping with you even if we're not married yet."

Walter laughed at the joke because it wasn't and finally disappeared and told Drey what young Drey had just said.

"Too bad for her."

"You mean?" Drey pulled Walter to her room where she already knew what was going to happen.

The second but public wedding was a great distraction as the villagers repaired the academy and village. Walter and Drey were especially glad that they were given time for themselves. Drey and Walter loved their children that were born through the years and Walter had Cro and Ber teach them what they had taught him. Cro and Ber passed on as legends of Ando, and Gant even respected the warrior who had returned finally to his place of birth. When Walter and Drey became king and queen, the realm prospered because the king was skilled in fighting, magic, and many varied topics that the academy all soon taught. Walters' sons and even daughters loved the mystic and fighting arts. And every story that pertained to them. Walter and Drey had the hardest time explaining how they met and how they fell in love. So they stuck to the fragmented version of things, and the children seemed satisfied. They grew up always wondering about mother and father and why they were so much in love. The story soon rivaled the green hero legend and the others like the Dragon of Ando and the Fogdocroaken. One scholar who studied the stories found commonalities in the older versions of the stories and compiled them into a volume that made a lot of fame and fortune. His true intention had been to find the locations and any evidence that the stories were true if any parts. But many centuries had passed since then and he couldn't think of way to do it.

However he did attend a lecture that suggested that there were multiple dimensions beyond time and space. The young student studied his whole life trying to break any if all of the speculated planes of existence. When he made his first prototype nothing happened. Eventually he decided he'd just try once more and this time something happened. A beautiful young girl clad in armor and wielding a staff appeared out of the gateway his prototype had created. When she saw him she clung to him and kissed him passionately. The scholar wasn't sure how it happened, but she said she was his wife and that she had met him before. He was unsure how she could speak English and how what she had just said was possible. He was pulled through the vortex before he could ask for the answer. But that was ok, the answer would come, it always did he soon learned.

THE END


End file.
